A Strange Bond
by Mariel1
Summary: The Tooth Fairy is still reeling from a recent tragedy, and Alpha is trying to get things together in The Hollow. Meanwhile, Jack Frost has a plan that might help solve both of their problems...or backfire on him. Can the Tooth Fairy and a Werewolf work out as a couple? Will Tooth Fairy's people be as accepting of Alpha as The Hollow is of him? Read and find out! Dark themes.
1. Chapter 1: Intervention

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _I thought this up while I was writing Chapter 11 of 'The Hollow', and since I already knew how I wanted that story to end, I decided to put that aside for a day or two and work on this. It just makes sense to me that Tooth Fairy wouldn't be able to bounce back from what happened. It also makes sense that Alpha would go without food when the supply is running extremely low so that the kids in her town can eat. Neither of them wants to ask for help. But will they accept it when it's offered? Will bonding over similar losses lead to something more? Hmm. You would think that no two people could possibly be more different, but these two sort of tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Hey, we have an idea. Plus, you owe us for putting us through all that B.S. in your previous story!" So, here it is. Also, will Jack Frost's little bet with Cupid come back to bite them in the butt?_

 _Alpha calls Tooth Fairy 'Roy', since he seems to prefer_ anything _other than Tooth Fairy! I'm trying to avoid insta-romance, but then again, Scott and Carol got together within a month, and I'm just writing this as it comes to me. No solid storyline, but I thought Tooth Fairy and Alpha deserve to have a happy ending, don't you? I don't own any of the characters from 'The Santa Clause' and its sequels, but I do own Alpha, The Hollow, and various OCs._

 _The song 'Sneaky Snitch' by Kevin Macleod fits Jack and Cupid's little game quite well, I think!_

"Chapter 1: Intervention"

January

Alpha laid back her ears as she stared at the clipboard in her hand. With The Founders' rule over, she had stepped up to the plate to help keep things together. She had just been granted Legendary status, and Halloween was to be her designated holiday. It was going to be a big job, and she still wasn't quite sure what was expected of her.

For now, though, Alpha's thoughts were mainly on their food inventory. "Are you _certain_ these numbers are correct?"

A living Skeleton in overalls and gumboots nodded, his bones rattling as if he feared punishment. Alpha wasn't known to be very aggressive, but in her Wereform she was _huge!_ "I'm afraid so, Alpha. The decrease in our population is both a blessing and an impairment. There are less mouths to feed, but less hands to tend the crops on the lower level. The Goblins...at least the ones who stayed...are training new workers, but something's going wrong with the plants and they can't figure out what. They ruled out blight and fungus, and then they thought, maybe, some kind of insect pest hitched a ride on someone-"

"Mm, that's not very likely..." Alpha frowned, saying to herself, "but maybe not impossible..."

"They're just not sure what's wrong, and now...I'm afraid our latest harvest has taken a serious hit."

Alpha sighed, rubbing her temple with two forefingers and handing back the clipboard. "Thank you, James. I know you're all doing the best you can. Please inform me of any changes, good or bad, as they come up. In the meantime, those of us who can will go up and hunt."

"Yes, Alpha," James took back his clipboard and left.

Her mind on the subject of food, her stomach offered up a demanding complaint. She had chosen not to collect her share of food this week, seeing how low supplies were getting. She had done this before when times were tough, but it was a long time since things had gotten _this_ bad. Normally she would help herself to a portion of her kill before or after bringing it back, but now? If they ran out of food, even the children would go without, and she couldn't have that happen.

She poured herself a large glass of water and drank it down, hoping it would silence her growling stomach. Just as she set the glass down, her mind began to buzz. Momentarily alarmed, she put her hand to her head and leaned against her sink, but then her expression cleared as Mother Nature's voice spoke to her mind.

" _I hereby call an emergency Council meeting at the North Pole. Your attendance is required in thirty minutes, Alpha."_

Unused to telepathy, Alpha briefly dug at her ear canal with a knuckle. Father Time's voice echoed in her head.

 _"Twenty-nine minutes and fifty seconds."_

"That's not a lot of time, Time..." Alpha muttered as she opened her wardrobe and dug around for an appropriate outfit. She came up with a pair of jeans, some black snow boots, and a blue T-shirt with a message in yellow letters, 'Sleep all day, read all night'. She tossed these onto her bed took on human form. The transformation hadn't been painful since Brinna's wings had been given a proper burial, and while Alpha was aware that this might have been cause and effect coming into play, she didn't question it. She was just glad it happened!

Especially since she had decided to appear as a human out of courtesy when she visited the North Pole; the reindeer would have been in a blind panic at the sight of her Wereform, and the Easter Bunny viewed her with suspicion as it was, so she appreciated her newly easy transformations.

Her clothes shrank in size as she changed into them, thanks to a spell from Pearl, molding themselves perfectly to her human form. She was just opening her door to leave when she remembered something important. Without her fur to shield her from the elements, she would shiver her way through the meeting! She grabbed a denim jacket and shrugged it on, locking her door behind her.

* * *

A vibrant ring of red mushrooms popped into existence on the snowy ground near Santa's Workshop, and Alpha with stepped out of it, shading her eyes against the brightness she found herself in. As lovely as this place was, she wished there was a way to dim the lights! The Fairy Ring disappeared as soon as she left it, and she hissed in through her teeth when she tried and failed to keep her eyes open.

"Ah, _there_ you are!" A male voice greeted her, and she turned blindly in his direction.

"That you, Jack?"

"In the flesh, my lupine friend. Here, put these on, they should help," he tapped her hand with something.

Alpha took what he offered, then sighed gratefully when she realized they were sunglasses. "I and my dignity thank ye, Jack. I don't need to be walkin' intae walls today!"

He chuckled and waved for her to follow him. "Think nothing of it. The others are already here, bickering among themselves as usual...well, except one."

"Oh, I'm sure whoever it is will be along shortly," she tucked her hands into her jacket pockets.

Jack Frost looked over at her and shook his head.

"No?"

"No...Tooth Fairy...ehhh...well, he wasn't summoned for this one. He...well, you'll hear about it in the meeting." Jack's smile melted from his face.

"Is he all right?" Alpha asked, more serious now. "Not ill, I hope."

Jack didn't reply, and she let the matter drop. She spotted a serious-looking Bernard, who brightened somewhat when he saw her coming, and she gripped his shoulder in passing.

"Good to see ye again, Bernard. You look well."

He smiled. "You too. I'm _still_ not used to your human form."

" _Me_ neither!" she said fervently with a chuckle, following Jack into Santa's study. Bernard, bringing up the rear, closed the door behind him and went to stand with Curtis.

After the group exchanged brief pleasantries and Alpha found a place to sit, Mother Nature brought her gavel down, startling Sandman into full wakefulness and signaling the end of idle chatter.

"Thank you all for coming here on such short notice. And thank you, Santa, for having us again." she smiled at Scott Calvin, or 'Santa', as was now called.

Santa nodded back, "Always a pleasure. I just wish it was under happier circumstances."

"What's going on?" Alpha asked, glancing at the place where Tooth Fairy would normally sit...or so she supposed; she had only attended one meeting before, and that was when the Council took a vote to let her join them as a Council member.

Mother Nature saw where Alpha's eyes were looking, and she nodded. "As I'm sure you've noticed, the Tooth Fairy isn't here. We're all well aware of certain sad events that took place recently." The council murmured assent, and even Cupid didn't have anything smart to say. Mother Nature went on, "I've been keeping track of his activities since then, and while he is still doing his job quite well, he's missed a few houses."

Santa leaned forward, a line appearing between his white eyebrows. "What?"

"No," Easter Bunny shook his head in disbelief. "He _never_ forgets!"

"I'm afraid so," Mother Nature set down her gavel and folded her hands. "This has happened more than once now. Although, he _did_ make up for it the next nights with a letter of apology and an extra coin. It also seems that he isn't taking proper care of himself."

Alpha's expression turned somehow inward as she mentally took a step back from the conversation. This sort of behavior from the Tooth Fairy was something she had occasionally succumbed to herself, for a similar reason, and her heart ached for the poor man.

"The children of the world will be disappointed if they look under their pillows and find that the Tooth Fairy hasn't been there. If this keeps up, I'm afraid that disciplinary action must be considered. Something _must_ be done, and quickly."

Now Alpha looked took off her shades, having grown more accustomed to the brightness of the room, and storm clouds gathered in her dark eyes. "Excuse me, Mother Nature, permission to speak?"

The nature goddess smiled kindly. "You don't have to ask permission, Alpha. You can just go ahead and speak."

"Aye, all right...let me get this straight; the man just found out his sister was murdered...and now you want to punish him because he's _upset?_ "

There was a chorus of 'No!', 'Of course not!', and 'Not at all!' from the others, and Mother Nature tapped her gavel lightly on the block. The room went silent again, save for the crackling of flames in Santa's fireplace.

"Of course not, Alpha. We don't _want_ to suspend him at all. As things stand now, he is only nearing his first warning. But this can't continue, and we're all very worried about him." she explained.

Alpha's proverbial hackles went back down again, and she asked more calmly, "So, what do you have in mind?"

Easter Bunny twitched his nose. "Well, we were talking among ourselves before you got here, Jack had an idea. See, _we_ were hoping that, maybe, _you_ could go and talk to him. He's locked up tighter than Fort Knox, and he's still sore about how we voted in the last meeting. _You're_ the only one he doesn't seem to have a grudge against, so maybe he'll hear you out."

Alpha folded her arms and sat back a little. She and Tooth Fairy had been outvoted on the subject of whether or not to let The Founders continue to exist. Both had voted in favor of execution. A sort of compromise was reached, and Father Time had the eleven Dark Elves in suspended animation for the time being, but Tooth Fairy wasn't exactly on speaking terms with most of the Council. Although Alpha didn't know this, even Santa, who was a good friend of his, got the whole 'coolly polite' routine after the last meeting. Alpha wasn't happy about the decision either, but she barely knew these people. To _her,_ this didn't feel like a personal betrayal. It was a mess.

Finding all eyes in the room on her, Alpha looked at Bernard, as if she hoped to find some help there. The Elf quickly busied himself with straightening the ornaments on a nearby Christmas tree, and she rolled her eyes. So much for that! She wasn't sure what she expected him to do anyway. "I don't even _know_ him all that well. What makes you think he'll tolerate my intrusion?"

Santa nodded, understanding Tooth Fairy's point of view somewhat. "He probably won't be too happy. But he's not too happy now _anyway_ , and he already shut the rest of us out."

Alpha turned back to Mother Nature. "What makes you think I'm qualified?"

"If your answer is no," Father Time chimed in, "it'll just end up falling to someone else."

Alpha looked at the Easter Bunny, who shrugged.

"I already tried talking to him. Like we said, he won't listen to us."

"What did _you_ say?" Alpha wasn't sure why sending the Easter Bunny would be such a bad idea.

"I made the mistake of citing how many siblings I have, and how he'd get over it before he knows it. Slammed the door in my face. Can you believe it?" Easter Bunny's nose twitched indignantly.

A collective groan circulated around the room, and Alpha put her hand over her face. "Ye don't tell someone 'you'll get over it' when someone close to them dies, no _wonder_ he got steamed wi' ye!"

"Eh?" Easter Bunny had the good grace to look embarrassed.

Alpha rubbed her face, sighed, then nodded. "I _really_ think we should just stay out of it and leave him alone, but...I guess..."

"Good, then it's settled!" Santa clapped his hands together, apparently ready to have this meeting over with. "Curtis, Bernard, would one of you mind dropping her off at his place?"

Bernard hesitated, reluctant to get involved, and Curtis took the opportunity to step in.

"I will, Santa. Alpha, come on over here." Curtis beckoned.

"Very well," said Mother Nature, "Meeting adjourned." The gavel came down, and Alpha walked over to Curtis.

"Supposing he doesn't answer his door? I know he works nights. He's probably asleep." she pointed out.

Curtis grinned and took her arm. "Not a problem."

Bernard saw the two of them disappear with the faint sound of jingle bells and a sparkling cloud of gold magic, and he shook his head. He had a bad feeling about this. "Curtis, you better not have..."

Jack Frost rubbed his hands together and quirked an eyebrow at Cupid. "Let the games begin."

Cupid, who lounged sideways in midair, gave an uncaring shrug as Bernard and the other Council members departed. "If you really think setting those two up is a good idea, you don't know much about how love works. For one thing, they got nothin' in common. They're not even the same _species_. It's weird. Plus, there's no guarantee that either of them will fall for the other, and there's every chance that only one of them will. Then you _really_ got a mess on your hands."

"Well, how about a little wager?" Jack's smile widened.

Cupid righted himself and flew a little lower. "I'm listening.

"They're already friends, and I _saw_ him check her out when he first saw her human form. _I_ say they're a thing by the end of the year. And if they're not, then I have to...um..." he tried to think of something embarrassing, but not _too_ embarrassing.

"You gotta streak through Elfsburg."

Jack held up his hands and backed away. "No. I'm _not_ doing that."

"Those are my terms." Cupid grinned smugly at the Winter Sprite. "And just to make it fair, since I know my stuff, if _I_ can't get them together by June of this year I have to fly through Elfsburg and sing a song of your choosing."

Jack gave an evil little chuckle. " _You_ have to sing 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' by Cyndi Lauper. I'll give you a megaphone, and I might even record you."

"What do I care?" Cupid flew off. "You'll lose."

* * *

Curtis and Alpha appeared in the Tooth Fairy's darkened living room, and Alpha was about to demand to know what the Elf had done when a quiet snore reached them.

Tooth Fairy lay face-down on his couch with his left leg and arm hanging off the edge. A puddle of drool collected on the throw pillow beneath his stubbly cheek, and an old afghan covered him from the waist down. He seemed to have simply sacked out on his couch after work, not even bothering change out of his work clothes. And, though neither Alpha nor Curtis made mention of it, he was in need of a shower.

Alpha forced the look of pity from her face and hissed at Curtis, her occasional Scottish brogue creeping into her voice in her agitation. "Are ye oot of yer _mind?_ Ye cannae just appear in someone's _living room!_ What's the ma'er wi' ye? What if he wasn't _dressed?_ "

Alpha's scolding filtered through Tooth Fairy's sleep haze, and he snorted and began to stir.

Curtis gave a wincing smile and whispered back. "Well, you see, _my_ thought was that _you_ wouldn't want to risk summoning a Fairy Ring around him, and _he'd_ be too much of a gentleman to leave a lady stranded."

"What do ye-" Alpha began, but Curtis wiggled his fingers in a wave and teleported out. "-mean. Bat droppings..."

Tooth Fairy suddenly realized that he _wasn't_ dreaming this up, and he quickly wiped his cheek and flipped the pillow over to hide the drool, then asked with as much dignity as he could muster, " _Help you?_ "

"Och..." Alpha put a hand over her face. "I'm dreadfully sorry about this, Roy. I'll be havin' words with Curtis when I get back."

"What is 'this', exactly?" he asked, rubbing a thumb and forefinger at the inner corners of his eyes, trying to fully wake up.

She folded her arms, every bit as uncomfortable as he was. "The Council sent me. Something about you bein' near your 'first warning'."

"That's great..." He ran a hand through his sleep-tousled hair, his eyes flinty as he looked away.

She could tell he wasn't pleased, and she couldn't say she blamed him! "They're concerned about ye. And now...seein' the state you're in, I'm a little worried myself."

Tooth Fairy sat up, self-consciously scratching at his cheek bristles. He looked down at his wrinkled clothes and colored a little. This was _all_ he needed! To have her see him like _this..._ "Sorry...They shouldn't have put you up to this..."

"Well...I'd leave ye in peace, but my ride seems to have absconded." she nodded to where Curtis had been standing a minute ago. The Elf was obnoxiously right; she didn't _dare_ use a Fairy Ring in front of him after what he'd been through. Why did it have to be _her_ they picked to show up and embarrass him like this? More importantly, why had she agreed to it?

"So I see..." his voice, still gravelly from sleep, came to her muffled by his hands as he rubbed his face. "S'not your fault." He lowered his hands, his forearms resting on his legs and his hands hanging between his knees.

Alpha felt awkward standing in this man's living room as she tried to find the right words to say, but nothing especially helpful came to her. She walked over and sat down next to him on the couch. In for a penny, in for a pound! "How're ye holdin' up?"

"I'm fine," he replied, amiably enough, but without much conviction.

"Look, I really _am_ sorry for showin' up like this. If I thought Curtis would deposit me in your living room..."

He shook his head, trying for impatience, but all that came through was weariness. "Forget it. Like I said, not your fault. Listen, um...wait here, and I'll grab a shower and a shave and take you back to the North Pole." He got up and moved off, not wanting to have her so close to him until he was clean. "Feel free to look around."

"All right," she replied, watching him climb the stairs that probably led to his bedroom and bathroom. She heard the shower turn on, and she rubbed her face. Lot of good _she_ was; if she couldn't find the right words to say to a grieving friend, how could she hope to run a _city?_ Her stomach growled, and she decided to take him up on his offer and look around. She noticed that there was dust on various surfaces, and given his mood she doubted he even cared.

When he came down again he found her standing near his bookshelf with an open dentistry textbook in her hands. He ran a hand through his hair and nodded at the book. "Pretty boring stuff, huh?"

Alpha shook her head and put the book back on the shelf. "No, not really. I didn't know teeth started forming before you're even born. I thought they just...sort of happened afterwards."

He cracked a slight smile for the first time in days and shook his head. "Nope. You can borrow that, if you want. I've read it a thousand times."

"Thanks," She retrieved the book, but looked doubtfully at his front door. "So...how exactly are we getting back to the Pole?"

"Well, these wings aren't here for decoration, you know. If they were, I would have picked something different." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"Really?" she curiously cocked her head, a movement he recognized, even though her form was different. "I think they look good on ye."

He looked down, unused to having his wings complimented. She hadn't seen any other Fairies, as far as he knew, so how could she know that he lost the genetic lottery in that regard? He donned his aviator cap and held out a hand. "Here, I'll hold the book for you. What you're gonna wanna do is, you put your arms around my neck, and I'll carry you that way."

"Okay." Alpha handed over the book, and he led her out into his front yard. Wherever they were, it wasn't like the places she knew. It seemed to be similar to a regular suburban neighborhood, save for the fact that every dwelling seemed to be a natural feature of the landscape. Some homes resembled Hobbit holes, while others were made from enormous hollowed out trees. Tooth Fairy's own house was one of the latter, and since there was plumbing in The Hollow, Alpha didn't question how he had a working shower.

The place was populated not by humans, but by Fairies. There were no cars; apparently those weren't needed when you could fly. A few curious lookie-loos gawked at them in passing, but no one approached or bothered them. She saw that most of the men had large wings in shades of blue, brown, green, or even black. Now she had some understanding of why Tooth Fairy was so insecure about his smaller purple ones. Still, she rather liked them.

Tooth Fairy tucked the book into the crook of his left arm and held out his right, and she stepped forward. He slipped his arm around her waist as if he'd done this kind of thing a hundred times, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

She caught a whiff of his aftershave and mouthwash, not an unpleasant combination, and looked away. "Heh...this is awkward."

"Sorry..." he looked a little uncomfortable himself, for various reasons. She had pretty much seen him at his worst, or very nearly, and...yeah, now seemed like the perfect time to fly!

"No, it's...Whoa!" She gasped when he took off unexpectedly, tightening her grip a little, but not enough to choke him. She looked down and saw the houses getting smaller and smaller. She felt her head begin to swim. The fact that she hadn't eaten much the past few days contributed to her mild dizziness, but her empty stomach would be a blessing if she became airsick, which she fervently hoped wouldn't happen. She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Aye...Never been this high up before," she admitted.

He protectively tightened his arm around her waist, privately amused. He'd flown with passengers before, and they'd all been a little nervous at first, but he was surprised to see this reaction from _her_. She was so fearless in her Wereform! Maybe being in a form she wasn't as comfortable with was a contributing factor. For some reason, being in a position to reassure her made him feel kind of important. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall."

"I know," she said a little too quickly, keeping her eyes squeezed absolutely shut against the wind. No wonder he wore goggles! Plus, it was getting _really_ cold.

He mistook her shivering for fear. "Don't be afraid; I got ya. We're almost there."

"I'm not afraid. I'm cold." She answered, practically having to shout this into his ear as the wind picked up.

"Oh." Well, that made sense!

"Wait...How did we get this far so quickly?" Alpha forced her eyes open, and saw that he was telling the truth.

"Time-space stuff," he yelled back over the wind. "Sort of a helping hand from Father Time. I'm not sure exactly how it works."

She buried her face in his shoulder once again as the blistering cold stung her eyes, and he found himself thinking that it was rather _nice_ to have her this close.

Then he caught himself pondering the fact that her chest was pressed against his side, and he forcefully pushed the thought away. It wasn't like they hadn't hugged before, and he couldn't let himself think of her that way. This train of thought was unacceptable for him, and unfair to her. She was a friend who was doing him a kindness, and he was returning it by giving her a lift back. That was all. So what if she happened to be pretty? And soft...and with a perfect smile, and _stop that!_

A few minutes later he began his descent with no small degree of relief, and they let go of each other as they touched down in Elfsburg. Alpha turned to thank him, but he simply gave a terse nod, handed over the book, and turned to go. She snagged his arm. "Hey, wait a minute."

"Hm?"

"You don't have to leave so quickly. I thought maybe we could get something to eat, since I woke you up, and I don't know this place very well yet." She wasn't thinking that, but she didn't want him to leave without having a chance to sit and talk with him. Otherwise, this whole 'mission' was for nothing, which would mean she woke him up for nothing.

"Thanks, but I'm not that hungry."

As if on cue, her stomach gave a loud, plaintive rumble that started deep and ended with a squeak, causing him to do a double-take, and her eyes grew huge as she looked down. "Wow... _excuse_ me!"

Tooth Fairy actually snickered at that, then his own stomach gave an answering gurgle. "Um...well...I guess a quick snack wouldn't hurt."

Alpha didn't mention that she was used to being a little hungry from time to time, and she let him lead the way to the cafe. They ordered some turkey club sandwiches and cocoa, but neither of them ate very much. His appetite wasn't much to speak of these days, and she couldn't stop thinking about her charges back home.

The silence between them was long and drawn out, him not really wanting to talk, and her not sure how to broach the subject. Finally, he cleared his throat. "So...How's things back at..." Unable to say the name without his voice locking up, he rephrased, "back home?"

Alpha glanced up at him, then down at her barely touched sandwich. She pushed her plate away and sipped her cocoa as she formulated an answer. "Slow. About a third of the population chose to leave. I can't say I blame them. It's a little brighter down there, though; we've added some white lampposts and such. And it _feels_ different, as well. Not nearly as grim as it used to be."

"Hm," he grunted noncommittally, taking a bite of his sandwich and squirreling it into one cheek as he spoke. "If I had my way, that mansion of theirs would've been reduced to rubble by now."

"Actually," Alpha's mouth quirked into a rather sadistic little smile, "It _was_."

"Oh?"

"Aye, ye missed all the fun." She paused, belatedly realizing that he had only asked her out of politeness. He didn't really want to hear about the mansion, or anything related to the little psychos who used to live there. She pulled her plate closer, picked up a potato chip, then put it back down again. "Right now, we're just tryin' tae keep our heads above water."

"Oh..." He nodded again, wondering with some concern if things were as good as she said they were, and he looked at her plate. Her sandwich only had one bite taken out of it. "Thought you were hungry."

She took another bite of her sandwich to appease him, feeling guilty to be eating _at_ _all,_ but realized she needed to keep up the appearance of doing well. This was about him, not her. After swallowing, she asked, "What about you?"

He shrugged, eating a chip. "I go to work, come home, have dinner, brush my teeth, and go to sleep."

"Every day?" she asked.

"Yeah...why?"

She elaborated, avoiding the obvious painful subject, and going for something she hoped was neutral. "I mean...what do you do for fun?"

He sat back and frowned. _Now_ he was getting irritated. This was getting a little too personal, and even though he liked her he didn't know her well. He recalled how he had broken down in front of her after learning the truth about what happened to his sister. Bawled his eyes out in front of an attractive woman. The phrase 'turn in your Man Card' came to mind, and he pushed it away. Shame for his tears and guilt for his sister came back full force, and this made him angry. He folded his arms, unconsciously putting up a physical wall between them. "Why do you want to know? I know the others sent you to play Armchair Psychologist, but you're not obligated to do this, and I'm not in the mood."

Alpha recognized the signs of disengagement, and frankly she probably would have done the same, had their roles been reversed. She would _hate it_ if someone meddled in her private affairs. "Nor am I. Yes, that's why I was sent, and I'd be lying to ye if I said I wasn't concerned on my own. But I'm not trying to pry into your personal business. I'm just trying to get to know you a little better."

Tooth Fairy sighed and hung his head. He knew he was being a grouch. What was he doing? He knew he shouldn't take this out on her! At least she hadn't said something stupidly insensitive like the Easter Bunny. Still, he didn't understand why she'd _want_ to know him. The circumstances of their first day knowing each other weren't at all pleasant, and his sister was gone because he had pushed her away. Besides, he was no one special. All he did was trade coins for teeth! "Why?"

She snorted, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Because I _like_ ye. And I thought, maybe, you could use a friend. Ye _said_ we were friends before. Or did that change?"

He shook his head. "No..."

She nodded, having already known the answer. "We don't have to talk about anything personal if you don't want to. Just know that you _can,_ and I'll no' judge ye."

He bit his lip and blinked a few times as he averted his gaze, tamping down on the surge of emotion her words brought on. "Well...I appreciate it, but I'm fine."

"I've said _that_ before..." she muttered, pushing her chips around her plate with a finger.

He frowned again, thinking he was being challenged. "You mean, you've _heard_ that before, right?"

"No. I mean 'said'."

"I _said_ I don't want to talk about it." He didn't raise his voice, but now he was drawing a line and warning her not to cross it.

"All right, we won't," she finished her cocoa, "and I apologize for makin' ye uncomfortable."

He sighed. 'Uncomfortable' was a good word for it, and there was a good deal of anger too, but he couldn't find it in himself to be angry at _her._ He just wanted all of this to go away and to be able to trade in his 'new normal' for the old one. "No, it's not you. I'm just not very good company these days."

"Really?" she cocked an eyebrow, "I thought you were quite the gentleman, giving me a lift back like this. Or maybe yer just sick o' me?" She winked. She meant it in a joking manner, not a flirty one, but such a gesture could be rather ambiguous.

"Wh..." In spite of himself, he chuckled a little and shook his head. "No, I'm not. Wasn't _your_ fault they can't leave well enough alone."

Cupid fluttered by, wearing his toga in a slightly different style than usual. He was mostly covered, thankfully, but he was also unintentionally shooting a half-moon.

Alpha turned her head at the patter of wings, then quickly looked away. "Oh, boy..."

"Huh?" Tooth Fairy turned to look, then snorted and called out, "Afternoon, Butt-Crack! Moon-lighting as a plumber, Cupid?"

Cupid turned in mid-air to face them. "Well, look who's out and about! Good job, Alpha."

Tooth Fairy looked at Alpha, who seemed to be innocently studying the ice dome above Elfsburg, then he shook his head and popped another chip into his mouth.

"What?" Cupid didn't seem to get it.

"Look, just give the man some space, aye?" Alpha pleaded, and the cherub merely shrugged and flew off.

Belatedly, Alpha began to chuckle. " _'Moon_ -lighting'...that's not bad."

Realization dawned on Tooth Fairy, and he nearly choked on his cocoa as he laughed at his accidental pun. "That's...that's _awful!_ "

"Aren't they all?" she grinned.

"Ahh..." He rested his chin on his hand, turning serious once more. "Look...thanks for trying."

Alpha tilted her head in sympathy, but he'd made his boundaries clear. "Mm. Y'know, I think the timing was way off, and I'll speak to Curtis about this, but...my offer is still on the table, and I'll just leave it at that. You know where to find me."

Tooth Fairy's smile, though small, was warm and genuine. "Thank you. Maybe...maybe I'll take you up on it when I'm ready, but not yet."

"That's fair," she nodded.

"Well, I really better be going. I should try to get a few more hours of sleep before I start my shift." They got to their feet and exchanged a friendly hug. "Talk to ya later."

She stepped back, relieved that things hadn't gone as badly as she'd thought they might. All traces of the previous awkwardness between them were gone, and she decided she rather liked his unusual face while it was wearing a smile. "Don't be a stranger. Or I'll hold your book hostage."

"Heh..."

He flew off just as Curtis and Bernard approached; Curtis was all-smiles, and Bernard was frowning as he usually did when Curtis was around.

"So," Curtis rubbed his hands together, "How'd it go?"

Alpha turned and messed up Curtis's hair, causing him to sputter indignantly as Bernard hid a smirk. "None o' yer business, squirt. Next time ye wantae pull a disappearin' act on meh... _don't._ "

Bernard frowned again. "What 'disappearing act'? Curtis, what did you do?"

"Oh, didn't he tell you? He teleported me to Roy's living room and just _left_ me there." Alpha folded her arms.

" _Seriously,_ Curtis?"

" _What?_ Santa told me about the time _you_ helped yourself to Neil's falafel sandwich!" Curtis jabbed a finger at Bernard's chest. Bernard's look was poison, but he had no comeback for that.

"Boys...C'mon, do I have to separate you two?" Alpha sat back down and draped her arm over the back of her chair, trying not to smile too much at their antics.

Bernard shook his head, not in response to her, but in exasperation. "How _is_ he, though? Any improvement?"

Alpha turned her eyes skyward...or, rather, domeward, but Tooth Fairy was well on his way home and out of earshot. "Well, obviously, he's grieving. He's actually handling his loss better than I did when first arrived at The Hollow. I'm not proud of it, but I was a fall-down drunk for the first few months I was there."

Bernards eyes, always so expressive, were full of sympathetic sadness even if the rest of his face was relatively stoic. "Oh..."

"My point is, everyone handles it differently. Look...he's holding on. His work could use some improvement, but so far his mistakes have been minor, and now he's been made aware. He just needs _time_."

Curtis disagreed with this. "He was _given_ time, but you saw him. He's a mess! How long can he keep going at this rate before he burns out completely? Do you know how many children will be disappointed if the Tooth Fairy doesn't come?"

"So, invading his home and his privacy is the way to go? What's the phrase the kids are using these days? That was just _'not okay'._ " She looked at Bernard. "Did I say it right? I'm a bit out of touch..." Bernard nodded, both in agreement with her and to confirm that she had, in fact, used the correct phrasing.

"I saw you get him to laugh," Curtis pointed out. "That's progress."

"Aye...well, I have no way to contact him, so now it's a waiting game."

Curtis brought out a funny-looking flat cell phone with a smug little smile, and began tapping at the screen with his thumbs. "Here's the cell phone we promised you last month. It's been treated with magic, so it doesn't have to rely on those silly cell towers, and it has infinite battery. You should be able to call _anyone_ from inside The Hollow, no matter where in the world they are. You have access to the internet, and I've set up an email account for you. I've already added his number, and I just sent him a text on your behalf. Now, humans will have this technology very soon, but we've drastically improved on it, and-"

"You little..." Alpha took the phone and saw that Tooth Fairy had already responded to 'her' message with a single question mark. Now she gave a very human growl, causing Curtis to take a step back. "Show me how this thing works so I can tell him what ye did..."

Bernard gave her a rueful look. "You might as well just accept it, Alpha. You're not getting out of this, and neither is the Tooth Fairy."

"Wheesht..." she said distractedly as she followed Curtis's directions, and after exchanging a couple texts with the Tooth Fairy she put the phone away. "Right, fortunately he understands, and thanks once again, Curtis, for the boundary trampling. I think I'll get you some tap shoes next Christmas, since you seem to enjoy it so."

Curtis tromped away, clearly pleased with himself, and Bernard put his hands on his hips.

"'Wheesht'? What the gingerbread does _that_ mean?"

"Means 'quiet'. Ah, don't look so sour. Want the other half of me sandwich?"

Bernard's scowl smoothed out at the mention of food. "Sure, I'll take it."


	2. Chapter 2: Wrong Number

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _The background music for this chapter is "Lantern (Seam's Shop Theme)" from the Deltarune soundtrack. I really hope these two aren't moving unrealistically fast. Alpha is fairly gregarious when she decides she likes someone, and Tooth Fairy is just friendly in general. Also, Alpha can be a bit of a clown when she wants to be, especially when she's trying to lift someone's spirits. I might get into that a bit more later on, because there's a fairly good reason for it. She does tend to put her own problems on the back burner, though..._

"Chapter 2: Wrong Number"

January

Alpha didn't really expect the Tooth Fairy to call her, and he had no _intention_ of calling her. It wasn't that he didn't like her, and it wasn't even the awkward situation Curtis had put them both in. In truth, he didn't really want to talk to anyone, and getting snippy with Alpha and then feeling bad about it afterwards hadn't helped his morale. Had he even apologized for that? He couldn't remember! And now he had one more mistake to obsess over. No, he wouldn't call her. Why would she want to talk to him after he'd acted like such a jerk?

His days were spent either sleeping or watching TV, and his nights were spent flying all over the world to collect the baby teeth of human children and leave coins behind in their places. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Father Time had once explained how he was able to warp time and space to allow him, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus to complete their work in twelve hours or less, but neither Tooth Fairy nor Santa had been able to follow it all that well, and the Easter Bunny didn't care one way or the other. This 'time bending' allowed them to take care of their daily needs as well as have some kind of a social life outside of work, but socializing wasn't even on Tooth Fairy's list of things to do. Heck, he didn't even _have_ a list!

This might have gone on for weeks, if not months, had the Tooth Fairy's finger not tapped the wrong number on his phone's touch screen. After three days of radio silence, the Tooth Fairy and Alpha unknowingly started something.

Alpha's bleary voice reached his ear, but he didn't recognize it at first because she spoke in a mumble. "H'lo?"

"Hi, I'd like to..." Tooth Fairy trailed off with a frown, and managed to avoid making too much of a fool of himself. "Uh...I'm sorry, is this 'Alfonso's Pizza'?"

The line was silent for about three seconds, then there was a soft laugh. "No sir, this is Alpha's room. Hi, Roy."

Alpha's room?! "Ah jeez, I'm sorry! I must've called the wrong number. Were you sleeping?"

"Aye, but it's fine. Wasn't much of a sleep," There was a rustle of blankets as she sat up. "Pretty sure it's time for me to get up anyway. What's up?"

Tooth Fairy's face burned as he sat back and closed his eyes, raking a hand through his short brown hair. "Not much...I was just trying to order some dinner. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's _fine,_ " there was a smile in her voice. "Actually, I'm glad you called. I have a bit of a dental dilemma."

"What do you mean?"

"Dental floss."

He blinked. "Huh?"

"Aye. Waxed or unwaxed? What say you?"

Was she holding in a laugh? The randomness of such a question was so absurd that he began to snicker. "Get outta here!"

"What?" And now he _knew_ she was stifling amusement. "I'm serious. I want to know!"

He was laughing now, albeit quietly; he couldn't help it. He'd figured out that she'd only been trying to make him laugh, but he decided to answer her question anyway. "Waxed. That's just my personal preference, though. Either type is better than not flossing at all."

"Ah, good to know."

"Anything else you wanna know? I could give you some good pointers on toothpaste brands."

"Nope, I'm good. Got a brand I like already."

He chuckled again, and she joined in. They both fell silent at the same time, but neither of them ended the call. He heard her moving about in her home, and he furrowed his brow when he heard an odd sound. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That noise."

"Oh, _that!_ " she said airily, "I just moved my coffee mug, and I guess it scraped on the table."

He thought it sounded more like a growling stomach, now that he went over it in his mind, but he let it drop. If she just woke up, she wouldn't have had a chance to eat breakfast yet. "Oh, okay."

"Hey," she piped up, seeming to have just thought of something.

"Yeees?"

"When do you want your book back?"

"Didn't like it, huh?" He had half expected her to dislike it, and wasn't offended.

"Actually, I did. I'm finished," she replied, "I'll admit, I skimmed through most of it, but I don't have a lot of time to read these days. Pretty fascinating stuff!"

"Now I _know_ you're putting me on."

"No, I'm not," she denied. "Consider what I am."

"I don't follow." He crossed his ankle over his knee and pulled at a stray thread on his pant leg.

"I _rely_ on my teeth, so the subject interests me."

"Well, why don't you just keep it?" he suggested. "Then you can go back to it when you _do_ have the time."

"No, I can't take your book!" she protested.

"Sure, you can. When I said I read it a thousand times, that was pretty close to the truth."

It sounded like she switched her phone from one ear to the other, and it also sounded like she was smiling again. "Well, thanks, I appreciate it."

"Sure," he grinned.

"Listen, if you ever change your mind and want it back, I'll-"

"Nahhh...You keep it."

"Thanks."

"Mm-hmm."

His own stomach gave a long rumble and he remembered why he'd gotten on the phone in the first place, but for reasons he couldn't fathom he didn't want to end the call. "So, what're you up to?"

"Setting out my clothes for the day. Exciting, I know." Her wry voice provoked another smirk from him, but this expression faded when she went on, "Listen, I know you're probably hungry, so I won't keep ye."

"Oh...okay," he tried to hide his disappointment, but it must have come through in his voice, because she was quick to add to that.

"Feel free to call back, if you want. I'm just doing inventory today, and it was good to hear from you. Even if it _was_ by accident."

"Heh heh...Okay, maybe I will. You have a good one."

"You, too."

They said their goodbyes and hung up, and he ordered himself a large pepperoni pizza. That would be dinner for the next week or so; his appetite was still very poor. As he ended the call with the pizza place, which was a Fairy-run establishment in his own hidden town, he felt his mood dip low again. He'd thought he didn't want to talk to anyone, but now that he was on his own again he felt lonesome. Had his house always been so quiet and cheerless?

As the Tooth Fairy waited for his dinner to arrive, he debated whether or not to call Alpha back. He _knew_ she was very busy. With The Founders 'dethroned' and with all the changes that were being made in The Hollow, he knew she and the others had a lot on their plates. Running a city, even one as tiny as The Hollow, _had_ to be a hectic, stressful thing! He really shouldn't bother her; she was probably just trying to be polite.

But it was so nice to be able to just _talk_ to someone. Just to talk about inconsequential everyday matters with no pressure to discuss recent events, and to know that if he ever did decide to unburden himself she would listen. She wasn't _pushing_ him. He liked that. He liked _her._

And he'd snapped at her when all she wanted to do was help him. Maybe he should call back and apologize. Would that be weird? Probably. Maybe she'd already forgotten about it. He wished _he_ could! There was a lot he wished he could forget.

Then his pizza came, and he decided not to bother her after all.

* * *

Tooth Fairy arrived home the next morning after work, too wired to sleep right away and unsure what he wanted to do instead. He had a shower in case anyone happened to drop by, not wanting to be caught unawares again, and he helped himself to some cold pizza from his fridge. Finally, after heading upstairs to brush and floss, Tooth Fairy sat on the edge of his bed in his blue pajamas and rubbed his face. He'd forgotten to shave, but he supposed that could wait until after he'd slept. It wasn't as if the kids would know the difference, assuming he did his job right and didn't accidentally wake one up.

He spotted his cell phone on his night stand where he had left it, and noticed that he had a voicemail. He sighed and picked it up. "Ten bucks says it's the Easter Bunny..."

But no. It was Alpha's number. "Huh..." He listened to the voicemail, unsure what to expect.

 _"Uh, hi. I hope this is going through, I'm not completely sure how this thing works yet. So, I just wanted to check in, see how your day went. Or night. You know what I mean. I guess I'll try back lat-"_

She cut off with a loud gasp, and yelled at someone in the background. Fortunately she had lowered the phone, so she wasn't yelling in his ear!

 _"Robert, ye wee demon! Ahhh...Sorry, Roy, I gotta go. See you."_

Tooth Fairy sat up a little straighter, somewhat alarmed now. It didn't sound like anyone had been hurt, but now he was curious. Just what was going _on_ when she called? He called her number and she picked up on the third ring.

"Ahem. Hello, you have reached 'Alfonso's Pizza'."

"Huh?" What in the world...? It was clearly Alpha's voice, so what was she doing?

"We are currently closed at the moment due to a shortage of breadsticks, and the dish seems to have run away with the spoon."

Oh boy...

Tooth Fairy pressed his lips together as his mouth tried to smile, and he lost the battle. She sounded like she was channeling John Cleese, and that just made it even harder to keep a straight face!

"We're 'alfredo' that you will have to call back at another time. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please try back again tomor-hey, what are _you_ laughing at?"

Tooth Fairy held his forehead in his hand. This was the hardest he'd laughed since his accidental pun that day at lunch! Come to think of it, other than that and these two phone calls, he hadn't laughed at all since before the last Council meeting he'd attended. " _You._ "

"Well, _that's_ rude!" she kidded back, "I'm hanging up."

He waited, but sure enough she stayed on the line.

"Aaany second now." she added.

"Are you _always_ this goofy?" He squinted one eye, still smiling.

"No," she replied, dropping the act now, but still sounding rather upbeat. "Just wanted to see what you'd do."

"Well, now you know," he scooted back to sit cross-legged on his bed. "So, what was that all about earlier? Some kind of fight?"

"Hm? Oh! Aye, Robert dumped a cup of ice water down the back of me shirt..." He could almost _hear_ her roll her eyes.

"And he lived to tell the tale?" he snorted.

"Hard to catch a bat when you're ground-bound. I'm biding my time."

"Heh...So, was there a reason you called before?" Then he clenched his teeth. Understandably, she didn't answer at first, probably unsure if she'd annoyed him. He didn't mean it _that_ way! Talk about _rude._ "I mean...ehh, that didn't come out the way I wanted it to..."

Her laugh was somewhat reassuring. "Relax, I don't bite. Well...no, that's wrong. I _do_ bite. But _you're_ pretty safe. No, I just wanted to say hi. If I'm botherin' ye, I can back off."

"No!" he said quickly, "Nonono, that's not what I meant. I just...I don't talk on the phone very much, so I guess I'm out of practice."

"You've still got _me_ beat. We don't even _have_ phones down here. 'Cept this one."

"Yeah...No, you're not bothering me. Actually, I've..." He hesitated, realizing he was admitting more than he wanted to, but then just decided to say it anyway. "I haven't really talked to _anyone_ lately. Just...y'know, you and the pizza guy." He looked down and began to pick at an imperfection in his cheap bedspread.

"Mm..." she made a noise of sympathy, but said nothing more. Remembering his boundaries, she wasn't sure if it was safe to ask him about it; she was great with body language and facial expressions, but she hadn't quite figured out how to interpret vocal cues over the phone.

He tried to think of something to say, but it was as if his brain had stopped working. He sat, mesmerized by the pattern of his bedspread, wanting to talk but _not_ wanting to at the same time.

"You still there?" Alpha finally asked after a few minutes had passed.

"Hm? Yeah, sorry..."

Another pause, and she asked carefully, "What's going on, Roy?"

"I don't know..." The imperfection had become a thread, and the fabric around it puckered as he pulled on it. "I don't even know what I'm doing..."

"On the phone, or in general?"

"The second one."

There was the sound of bedsprings creaking as Alpha sat down. She must have been talking to him from her house.

It sounded like he might want to talk, but was she wrong? "Do you mind if I make a guess?"

"Shoot," he said tonelessly.

"I think you don't want to bring other people down...and you don't like being unguarded when it comes to the heavy stuff...so you've pulled back, and you're trying to deal with it on your own." She waited for him to say something, but all she could hear was his quiet breathing. She wondered if she'd overstepped, and she mentally slapped herself. "Is that...Am I wrong?"

There was a heavy feeling in his chest. It was as if the weight on his heart hadn't been lifted, but had _shifted_ a little, and he rubbed at the inner corners of his eyes. "No...that's pretty much it."

"Mm-hmm..."

He remained quiet, but still he didn't hang up. He suddenly wished she was _there._ Well, not right there in his bedroom, but there in person. He wondered if he should try to force himself to talk, but he wasn't ready to go there yet. "Anyway...I was just about to turn in." Then, on a sudden impulse, he asked, "Um...hey, Alpha?"

"Aye?"

"I was wondering...You think we can meet up sometime tomorrow, maybe get a bite to eat? If you're not busy, I mean." And, he thought but didn't say, he really _did_ want company. Isolating himself like he did hadn't helped, and he thought it might have actually made his depression worse. He just hoped he wasn't imposing on her. Maybe a public setting would be good, where they could chat face-to-face but there wouldn't be any pressure to get into certain things. This wouldn't be the first time he'd asked a friend to join him for lunch.

"Uhhh..." she sounded like she might have been checking something, possibly a list or a calendar. "I have a little wiggle room for when I take my lunch break. What time would be good for you?"

He suggested a time, and they agreed to meet at the North Pole, mostly because it was a place they both knew and he wouldn't have to cast a glamour on himself to hide his wings. Outsiders generally weren't allowed in his town, and he didn't want to get himself or her in trouble. Once his people knew she was one of the Legendary Figures, it would probably be all right, but he hadn't thought to tell anyone.

As he settled in for the night, he realized that he was actually looking forward to something for the first time in nearly two months.


	3. Chapter 3: Q & A

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _What do two semi-new friends of different species do when they're curious about each other's people (and each other in general)? They grill each other for info, that's what! Tooth Fairy has a few questions for Alpha, and accidentally touches a nerve. Unknown to them, they are under surveillance!_

 _Background music: 'Investigations' by Kevin Macleod. (Edited out a couple mistakes.)_

"Chapter 3: Q & A"

January

The next day, Alpha arrived at the North Pole first and brushed some snow off the edge of the skating rink to sit down. She reached into an interior pocket of her denim jacket and pulled out a dog-eared copy of 'Watership Down'. A few of the Elves who hadn't quite gotten used to the idea of a Werewolf, however friendly, randomly showing up in their town, gave her a wide berth and many a suspicious look. She was aware of this, but she ignored the stares in favor of minding her own business. Soon enough, the nervous Elves relaxed again and ignored her in return.

"Ooh," Bernard's voice sounded at her right elbow, causing her to jump so badly that she dropped her book in the snow. "Don't let the Easter Bunny see you reading that! He already half-thinks you might try to have him for dinner, and not as a guest!"

Alpha quickly retrieved her book and brushed the snow off the laminated cover. "How did you sneak up on me so fast?"

"Did you forget I can teleport?" he laughed, dusting off a spot next to her and sitting down.

"I _did_ forget," she admitted, rolling her eyes and putting her book away. "What can I do for ye?"

"Nothing," Bernard shrugged. "I just heard some of the Elves talking about 'the Werewolf' stopping by, and I wondered why you didn't come in to say hi. Hey, aren't you cold in that thing?"

"No, not really," she adjusted the lapels of her jacket and glanced up. Still no Roy. She half-turned to face the Head Elf. "There's no wind to speak of under the dome, and I don't feel the cold quite as much as a human would. What about you? You're not even wearing a jacket."

"I'm just used to it, I guess. So, what brings you here?"

"Actually, I'm meeting Roy here for lunch. I think I must be a bit early, though." She replied, hiding her concern. She didn't want to go into too much detail with Bernard, friend though he was. Tooth Fairy had sounded a little sad over the phone the day before, and she didn't want to throw him under the bus by telling everyone his business.

"Oh." Bernard nodded, looking back over at the Workshop. He would have to go back in soon, but he still had a few minutes. "How is he?"

"He's all right," Alpha shrugged, and changed the subject. "How are things here? Everyone's so _busy_."

"We're _always_ busy. January, February, and March are our slowest months, though. The Clauses are currently on vacation, the lucky so-and-so's, but there's more planning than toy-making going on right now. Oh, and...a few of the 'Dark Elves'...that is, the ones who helped...are being given a second chance. They can't even be called 'Dark' anymore, because the tarnish is all gone now."

"Oh?" Alpha looked pleasantly surprised. She knew that several of the Dark Elves, including Joy and Sam, had left The Hollow, but they hadn't said where they were going. She'd gotten the impression that they weren't sure it was a permanent move, and had simply told them that they were always welcome to return, and left it at that. "That's good, right?"

"It's...yeah, I suppose it is. It was pretty tense there for a while." Bernard glanced up at the clock again. "Simon is still a little spitfire, but he's coming around. We tried him in Research and Development instead of toy making this time, and he seems to have found his niche. They're in training now, and doing pretty well this time. It might be time to revisit our screening procedures..."

"Well, they say life's the best teacher," she smiled. "Sounds like you all learned something, not just them."

"It wasn't easy..." Bernard mumbled, hanging his head. " _Everything_ could have been avoided..."

"Not everything," Alpha put a hand on his shoulder. "Those two and their nine were more like 'monsters' than any of us. You saw something 'off' about them, and you couldn't let that stand. You didn't know what would come of it."

He looked over at her with a sad smile. "I guess not. Well, I better get back to work. Good seeing you again."

"You too." She watched him teleport out, then took out her book.

A few minutes later, she heard the tell-tale fluttering of wings, and she looked up to see a rather sheepish Tooth Fairy making his descent.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologized before she could greet him, pushing up his goggles and removing his cap. He had a case of hat hair, and he ran his fingers through it a few times to fluff it up a little bit. "I overslept."

"It's fine," she smiled, getting up and walking over to give him a hug. Before she could, however, she noticed something and fought back a cheeky grin. "Oh...um, Roy?"

"What?" he blinked, low-key panicking that he might have gone and done something stupid without realizing it. Was his zipper undone? He discreetly looked down, and thank the Gods, it wasn't. Then, what...

"You, uh..." Alpha pointed at her own mouth. "You got a little toothpaste..."

"Oh!" His cheeks turned a startling shade of red, and he quickly wiped his mouth. "Wow...that's embarrassing."

Alpha gave him a hug, which he automatically returned, and tried to reassure him; the poor guy wouldn't even look her in the eye now! "It's all right. Who _hasn't_ done that?"

"Well, _I_ usually don't..." He cleared his throat, loosening his scarf. "Anyway...same place as last time?"

"Sure," she agreed, and they headed off into the town. She hadn't meant to embarrass him, but she thought he might have been even _more_ embarrassed if she hadn't told him and he discovered it later.

They ordered the same thing as the last time, and again he noticed that she hardly touched her food. "You okay?"

"Aye," Alpha, who was about to ask him the same thing, was caught off guard by this. "Why d'ye ask?"

"Well, you're not eating very much. Now that I think about it, you didn't last time, either. You feeling all right?" He leaned forward a little, trying to see her eyes through the shades she wore.

Alpha didn't want to lie to him, but she couldn't tell him the truth! What would he say if he knew she was severely rationing what was left of her own food, and that she felt guilty eating even _that_ when there was a food crisis? What on Earth had made her agree to go to _lunch_ with him, where the main idea, other than talking, was to _eat?_

Then he volleyed her question from yesterday back at her. "What's going on?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. Or, nothing I want to get into just now. Just...things are really stressful at home, and my appetite hasn't been that great, is all."

He nodded slowly. "Mine neither. M'sorry. I won't ask again."

She could sense him pulling back, and she hadn't meant for that to happen. "No, you can ask."

"No, you have stuff you don't wanna talk about. Believe me, I get it," he took a sip of his cocoa and considered asking for a doggie bag for his sandwich and chips.

"Sooo, ask me something else," she sat back, her body language becoming more open.

He raised an eyebrow, but seemed somewhat relieved that he hadn't overstepped. Or, if he had, it must not have been by much. Now that she had opened the door on questions, he was curious! But what should he ask her? "Uh, like what?"

"Whatever you want," she smiled and amended, "within reason."

"Well..." he leaned forward again and folded his hands on the tabletop. "Okay, there's something I've been wondering about. Maybe you can clear it up for me."

"Go ahead."

"I always thought Werewolves only changed when there was a full moon, but you seem to be able to do it at will. Is that a Werewolf thing, or a 'you' thing?"

"Ah," she nodded, mirroring his posture and folding her own hands on the table. "I'm not sure. I never actually _tried_ to switch before I ended up down there, so...it could really be either one."

"Oh," he nodded, mulling this over.

"However," she went on, "nights when there's a full moon are the only time when I have no choice in the matter. Well, except for when wolfsbane is involved."

Curiosity satisfied, he nodded again.

"Mind if I ask _you_ a question?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Shoot."

"Bang."

There was a beat of silence, then he got the joke and began to snicker. It was a ridiculous thing to laugh at, and it _really_ shouldn't have been all that funny, but it caught him by surprise. When she joined in, her laughter was contagious and they kept setting each other off. When one began to calm down, the other would break into giggles and they would go off into gales of laughter all over again. When they finally sputtered to a stop, she waved a hand. "Okay, okay...serious, now...and if this is too personal, let me know. But before _you,_ I'd never even seen a Fairy before. And I've never heard of any humans knowing for sure that you exist, or where you are. How do you keep yourselves...well, secret?"

"Oh, that's not personal," he scoffed. This was actually kind of fun! "We go out among humans all the time, and they never even know."

"How?"

He sat back and grinned at her. "Like this."

Tooth Fairy raised his hands up to shoulder height and snapped his fingers, and with a purple flash and a puff of sparkly gold dust his wings _disappeared._ He laughed silently through his nose as she jolted back and gaped.

She perched her shades on top of her head and leaned forward again. "Are they _gone?_ "

"No, of course not," Still grinning, he turned a bit in his seat and pointed over his shoulder. "Put out a hand and see for yourself."

She began to extend a hand, then hesitated almost guiltily. "Um...Aren't your wings kind of 'off limits'?"

"Depends on what you do," he replied, "I know you won't hurt me. Go ahead, it's okay."

Alpha got up and reached out again, and the back of her hand brushed against something invisible. She couldn't bring herself to grab onto it, remembering how badly it had hurt him when the Founders tried to take it and it's counterpart by force; she wasn't sure how much pressure it would actually take to cause him injury. But she traced the pads of her fingers over it (his wings flapped once, the left one knocking against her hand as her too-light touch tickled him) and she was able to make out the general shape of it. Small as this wing was, it was strong, and it was _alive._ She raised her eyebrows, fascinated. "It's _warm._ "

She seemed surprised by that.

"Well, sure. We're warm-blooded." He smiled at her curiosity; it was endearing, in a way. He snapped his fingers near his wings again, and they reappeared. He hadn't figured on startling her, though, and she slipped on a patch of ice and nearly lost her balance before he steadied her. "Ohp! Sorry, I should have warned you first. You okay?"

She nodded and sat back down, laughing merrily at her own mishap. "No worries. Your turn to ask me."

"Okay." He thought a bit before he asked his next question. "What about silver?"

This topic was a bit of a tricky one for her, and she grew a little more serious. "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't answer that one."

"You don't have to."

"No, I don't mind. _Definitely_ weak against silver. I can't even touch it, it burns me. And Heaven help me if there's ever a silver bullet involved." This last was said in a whisper, and she flashed her eyebrows once for emphasis, sipping at her mug of hot chocolate.

Tooth Fairy wished that he hadn't asked her that question. Not that it was likely for many people to have such a thing in this day and age, but there was still the smallest chance that some occult nut would get a little bit trigger happy, and he shuddered. "For me, it's wrought iron. There. We're even."

She smirked. "Well, _that_ doesn't count, because I didn't ask. Still my turn?"

He smirked back and motioned for her to go ahead.

"All right...what about sleep? You fly all around the world, and it's always night somewhere. When do you find the time to sleep, and still get things done?"

Ah, here was a question that had him a little stumped, and he carefully considered before trying to answer. "Not all cultures believe in the legend. And not all kids are raised with it."

" _I_ wasn't."

"Oh, really?"

"No. You know how I lost my first tooth?" she had that mischievous glint in her eye that she sometimes got before she said something funny.

"Mm-mmm." he shook his head.

"I was running around the yard, playing some kind of chasing game with our dog. Just being a crazy six-year-old," She smiled as he leaned in, interested. "I fell down, spat out a tooth, then just got up and kept on running."

"Hah!" he leaned back, shaking his head. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. Hm. Now, what was your question again?"

"Oh, sorry, I interrupted ye, didn't I?"

"No, it's okay. I got it now." He began to warm up to his topic. "If it wasn't for Father Time, I wouldn't be able to do it. I had trouble following along when he told me about how he can alter time and space. Somehow, he...um...okay, so, every full rotation of the Earth takes twenty-four hours, right?"

"So I've heard." she shrugged. Day and night had little meaning in a place that never saw the sky! Perhaps this was why she had occasional bouts of insomnia.

"Well, he...I don't know. I'm sorry, I'm drawing a blank. Something about compressing time zones, and...I don't know. Sorry." He flushed again, though whether it was with shame or the effort he'd put into explaining something he didn't understand, it was hard to tell. "Anyway, I experience twelve hours of time passing when I'm working, then I come home, have a nap, and do the things most people do in a day. I guess I usually get about six hours of sleep, give or take."

Alpha thought she had the general gist of what he was saying, and she nodded. "No, you did fine. Maybe Father Time's the only one who can really 'get it'. I mean, it's what he does, so..."

"Uh-huh."

"All right, your turn."

He hesitated, then decided to ask something a little bit more personal. He wasn't sure if this was a sensitive subject, since she'd said at the last meeting that she didn't enjoy hunting, but that it was necessary. He highly doubted that her nocturnal habits extended to humans, but he still felt the need to get confirmation from her. "What do you eat?"

She resisted the urge to say 'food' or point at her turkey club. She tended to use humor as a defense mechanism, and this question had her a tiny bit defensive in a way that the 'silver' question had not. "You might not like the answer to this one."

"Why not?"

"Well, obviously I can eat whatever a human...or a Fairy, or an Elf, can eat. But...well, this might put you off your lunch." she rubbed the back of her neck, uncharacteristically shy.

"Just tell me." he urged before making a guess. "Is it raw meat?"

"You're in the right ballpark," she confessed. "All right...full disclosure. That first night you saw me, I was hunting."

"I guessed that." he said blandly.

"There's more. Most of us down there don't look human enough to go to the market and pick up this-or-that, and it wouldn't matter if we did. We don't have human money there, and...look, it's not as if I _enjoy_ killing animals. I mean, I've gotten _good_ at it, to the point where they never even know it's happened. It's not something I ever take lightly, and I wish it wasn't necessary, but it _is_. And...well...sometimes I'll help myself to some of what I catch before I bring it back. I'm actually kind of nervous that one night you'll spot me and be disgusted." She thoughtlessly ate a potato chip, mostly to distract herself from her discomfort.

He turned this over in his mind, and was privately surprised that he _wasn't_ more put off by this. After all, he _had_ known that she was, technically, a large predator for much of her time. It was hard for him to reconcile the confident creature of the night with the woman who now picked nervously at her napkin and avoided eye contact. She almost sounded like she was _apologizing_ for what she had to do to feed her people, and she was definitely over-explaining! "It's not something I'd wanna watch, but I kind of already guessed some of that, too. Werewolves have a bit of a reputation as bloodthirsty killers, but I kinda figured the stories were exaggerated. Most legends _are_."

She lowered her shades again, frowning, and this caused him to frown as well.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked.

"No..." Why should she be a little hurt by his admission? And shouldn't she be happy that he didn't push away his plate and call a hasty end to their lunch? She tried to cover it up with a glib response, but it fell flat even to _her_ ears. "As long as you don't think I'm some kind of mindless beast, I guess not."

"What?" He realized what he had accidentally implied, and was _horrified_ to think that he might have said something that hurt her feelings. "No, of course I don't! That's not what I meant at all."

After a moment of tense silence, she gave her head a rueful shake.

"Sorry," she smiled apologetically. "I'm not used to caring about what 'topsiders' think. Did I _really_ just overreact over something that silly?"

He shrugged, smiling back a little in his relief. "I dunno. I don't think it's silly. I just didn't think about how it sounded before I opened my big mouth. Anyway, it's your turn. Ask away."

"Hmm..." she folded her hands and rested her chin on them in thought. "You mind if I ask you something personal?"

He shrugged, folding his arms as if to shield himself, but other than that he showed no discomfort. "Fair's fair. My _last_ question was kinda personal, I think. I might not answer, though."

"All right," She tried to think of a way to phrase it that didn't sound too weird, then finally she just gave up and asked him outright. "So, about your wings...do they ever get in the way?"

"Uhhh...can you be more specific?" His brow furrowed, but with confusion, not displeasure.

"Well, when you sleep, can you lie on your back, or do they get in the way?"

Well...personal or not, it _was_ a valid question! He supposed he deserved this one, and once again he found her curiosity endearing. "I can, and they do. It's not painful, but it _is_ a little uncomfortable. That's why I'm a side-sleeper."

 _Or belly,_ she thought, but didn't say. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked you that."

He shrugged, uncrossing his arms. "You're fine. I answered it, didn't I?"

"Well, I think you get a freebie after that one. Go ahead and ask _me_ something personal."

Hm. What could he ask her that he hadn't already covered? Then he had it, and decided to get some harmless revenge on her. "Okay. Same question back at you, but about your tail."

"Haha!" she sat back, flashing her white teeth in a laugh. "The answer's the same, too. Side-sleeper all the way."

They shared another chuckle, and he nodded to her. "Your turn."

"So, what are families usually like? I mean, are they like, 'mother, father, kids', or are there variations on that?"

"Yes, and yes," was his succinct reply before he elaborated. "It's an awful lot like human families, really. There's the 'traditional' family unit, there's adoptions. Extended family, in-laws. Pretty much anything the humans have going on, we do too."

"It's the same back home," she grinned, "We're a bit of a species melting pot, but otherwise it sounds like we're not all that different."

Tooth Fairy wasn't sure if that was true or not. As far as he knew, The Hollow only had one Werewolf, and he was sitting across the table from her. In some ways, the two of them were _plenty_ different. And yet, here they sat, truly enjoying each other's company. Now that he thought about it, they were similar in almost as many ways as they were different, and it was a pleasant thought. This was the closest he'd felt to 'normal' in weeks.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

He realized he'd been staring again.

"Heh, I have enough coins," he joked, then grew serious. "But here's one for free; I don't think I've _ever_ had a friend like you before."

Alpha half-smiled, unsure what she should say to that. "I'm not surprised. I haven't seen another like me in centuries."

He shook his head, sobering down again as he remembered once more how grumpy he had been when she had appeared in his living room, and during that first awkward lunch. He couldn't even _begin_ to identify the mix of emotions that washed over him, both good and bad, so he didn't even try. "That's not what I mean. Not 'you' as in 'Werewolf'. Just _you._ "

"Oh," She felt her face growing warm, and hoped he wouldn't notice. What he said next just about broke her heart, though.

"Alpha...you don't _have_ to spend time with me, you know. We _both_ know the others put you up to it. But you're _here,_ and I don't know what I did to deserve it. I just..." he bit his lip and looked down at his plate. "I haven't been in a good place for a while now, and I just didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't even want anyone _near_ me. I was actually pretty mad when Curtis left you there in my living room. I didn't blame _you,_ but...I know I kinda snapped at you that day, and you were just trying to help me. That's...that's actually been eating away at me for days now, and I'm sorry."

"Hey," she leaned forward to catch his eye, and he looked up. "You were still nicer than _I_ would've been if someone pulled that nonsense on _me_. I never took any of it personally. I'm here because you're my _friend_...because I truly _like_ you...and because I've known loss, too. You don't have to explain _anything_ to me. Okay? I get it."

He nodded slowly, his heart feeling about ten pounds lighter...and a lot warmer. "I think you do."

"So, what do you say we bag up our food and get out of here?" she suggested.

"Okay," he shrugged, relieved to have gotten that out finally, and to have the 'feelsy' stuff over with. "Where to?"

As if the Elf waitress had ESP, she showed up right then with containers for their leftovers.

Alpha thanked her, then responded to his question as they packed up the remains of their lunch. "I thought we might just play it by ear and see what happens."

"Sounds good to me."

As the two of them walked off to explore Elfsburg, Jack Frost, who had gone unnoticed from the back of the cafe, stroked his chin with a devious smile. "Now, _this_ is getting _interesting..._ "

Cupid, who had been perched unseen on an overhang, fluttered down to hover at the Sprite's shoulder. "Don't get too excited, Jack. This was nothing."

"What are you talking about?" Jack pointed after them. "They're practically holding hands!"

"But they're _not._ "

"So, you're telling me they weren't on a date?" Jack tried to hold onto his smug attitude, but Cupid was unphased.

"Oh, it was a date, all right," Cupid shrugged. "A platonic lunch date. With some harmless clumsy flirting, mostly on his part. Friends do that kinda thing all the time."

"So, you didn't notice when he invited her to touch his _wings?_ That's a bit suggestive, isn't it?"

Cupid landed on a chair and set his bow down on the tabletop. "Not in _this_ context, it isn't. Wings are just _limbs,_ like your arms or legs. For a Fairy, their life force is directly tied to those wings, but that part of their anatomy has nothing to do with risqué activity. For a Fairy to grant a non-Fairy permission to touch their wings, that's just them sayin' 'I trust you with my life'. A little weird to come out of nowhere, but it's not really coming out of nowhere, is it? They both been to Hell and back together."

"What exactly are you hoping for?" Jack demanded, annoyed that Cupid wasn't taking him seriously.

"I don't really care. If they get together, great. If they end up just as friends, fine. And if this goes to Hell in a handbasket, it's on you, not me."

Jack sipped his cocoa, smirking. "Ah, see, now that's where you're wrong. You took part in our bet, remember?"

"Did we ever shake on it? I don't recall."

"Forget it, a verbal agreement is as good as a handshake, and I'm not streaking through Elfsburg or anywhere else."

"And I'm not singin' some Cyndi Lauper song. Instead of being happy about what you just saw, maybe you should try to keep them apart for the next six months. Because, sorry to break it to ya, but I'm gonna win this thing."

Jack rolled his eyes. He didn't really care if Cupid won the bet or not. At least then, he wouldn't have to streak! Cupid might have handicapped himself by betting that they would get together in six months instead of twelve, but Jack didn't want to get between Alpha and the Tooth Fairy just to ensure that Cupid had to embarrass himself. He just _knew_ that Alpha and the Tooth Fairy could be perfect for each other, if they could just get past what was bothering them, and who better to help each other through it than...well, each other?

Besides, there was no way on God's Green Earth that Jack Frost was about to run through Elfsburg in the buff! Nope, nada, not happening!


	4. Chapter 4: The Other Shoe

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Sometimes things get worst before they get better._ _ **Trigger warning**_ _for this chapter and the next, for anyone affected by panic attacks. I'm going for a bit of realism, but hopefully I'm not overdoing it. This is a short one._

"Chapter 4: The Other Shoe"

January

For most of the remainder of January, Alpha and the Tooth Fairy talked or texted nearly every day. She wasn't able to meet up with him as often as they both would have liked, but he understood that she was busy, and his mood was on an uptick lately. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like to laugh, but somehow she managed to make him laugh at least once every time they talked. It was nice.

Tooth Fairy still sensed that something was a bit 'off' with her, though. One day, she didn't answer her phone. She usually picked up on the second or third ring, but this time it went to voicemail, and he became worried. He finally received a call back when he was out making his rounds, and she apologized and told him that she'd slept through the phone ringing.

He was more relieved than he thought he would be, since there was a very real chance that something might go wrong while she was out on a hunt. It had happened before, after all. At least once, but knowing her, possibly more. Then who would represent Halloween? And what would _he_ do?

He told her none of this, and they ended their call after agreeing to meet the next day. He turned introspective as he traveled to his next stop.

There was no denying it now; he had to admit, at least to himself, that he had a bit of a crush on Alpha. But that was okay, because he would never tell her. She wouldn't be his first crush, and she probably wouldn't be his last. He was used to not acknowledging it when he was interested in a woman. Fairy women generally weren't interested in him due to his odd work schedule, and he'd never quite been able to shake the childhood nickname 'girly-wings'. His male peers in town had eased up a bit, but their little jibes were more sneaky now, disguised as good-natured ribbing. And maybe some of it _was_ meant to be good-natured, since guys tended to riff on each other quite a bit.

No, it really wouldn't be fair for Alpha to find out and think that this was the only reason he was interested in her. What would a human...or, a former human...know about what makes wings attractive or off-putting? If she thought he only liked her because she wouldn't know or care about such things, that was sure to hurt and offend her. He wasn't _desperate,_ and he didn't want her to think that he was, nor did he want to lose her as a friend.

Friendship was just fine with him. He had other female friends. She had quickly become his closest female friend, but that was as far as it went. And that was fine.

But what if that next shot was a fatal one? Could she even _die,_ since she'd been made a member of the Council? With the exception of Mother Nature and Father Time, who were both eternal, Jack Frost, who was the Herald of Winter, and Cupid, who was a minor deity, all of them had some form of conditional immortality. He had no set lifespan, but he wasn't invulnerable to illness or injury. He wasn't on speaking terms with the rest of his friends on the Council at the moment, and she had been a faithful friend since day one. How would he cope if he lost her, too?

All this over a missed phone call! This train of thought wasn't helping him at all, and he doubled back to visit a house he'd missed while his mind was wandering. "Come on, old boy...That's what got you in trouble with Mother Nature in the first place..."

* * *

Alpha wasn't as animated as usual the next day. There was plenty of idle chit-chat, but no jokes, and her smiles weren't as wide. As a man who was drawn to nice smiles, this was the first thing he noticed. He wasn't used to seeing her look so melancholy.

Today, the two of them decided to take a stroll through a human park for a change of pace. Tooth Fairy felt like he was wearing a Halloween costume of sorts, dressing up as a human to blend in with his blue jeans, sneakers, and flannel jacket. It was usually fun to pull the wool over their eyes, but today his focus was elsewhere.

"You're awful quiet," he observed, "You okay?"

"'Course," she automatically deflected the question.

Tooth Fairy didn't believe her. Walking beside her, he could see behind her shades, and he noticed dark circles underneath her eyes. "You sure?"

Alpha shrugged, her eyes on the pavement. "Have to be."

He _definitely_ didn't like the sound of _that!_ If he was allowed to have a bad day, so was she. He halted, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder. Now he thought he could understand why she'd tried so hard to reach him in spite of his denials. She could see right through his pretenses, and her own poker face was slipping now. It wasn't an easy thing to witness. Not when you cared about someone.

"But _are_ you?" he asked softly, and he was privately alarmed when twin tear streaks made their way down her face from behind her shades.

"...No," she finally admitted, looking down and shaking her head.

"C'mere..." he held out an arm, and she let him pull her into a side-hug as he led her to a nearby bench. He began to offer her his hankie, but she had one and was already using it as she sniffed a few times. "What is it?"

Alpha merely shook her head and sniffled again.

"Hey..." he reached out and gently tilted her chin up. "You said I could always talk to you about what's bothering me. Did you think you couldn't do the same?"

For a moment, she looked like she was about to fall apart right then and there, but she kept it in. She looked down with a shaky sigh, folding her hankie and putting it away again. "Things are just catching up to me, I guess. I'm just...so _tired._ "

"Yeah..." his arm still around her, he gently rubbed her shoulder and he was surprised when she leaned her head against him. How had he _not_ noticed that something was wrong before? There were little hints; her poor appetite, her focusing on him and avoiding discussions about her personal problems. If he'd been paying closer attention, he might have put the pieces together and reached out to _her_ for a change.

They sat that way for a while, and eventually he realized that she'd fallen asleep. He hated to wake her, but he thought that she should really be at home in bed if she was that drained. Besides, she would probably think it was weird if he just let her sleep. They were close friends at this point, but they weren't quite _that_ close! Reluctantly, he gave her a gentle shake.

"Hm...Oh! I'm sorry..." She quickly leaned away from him, the color in her cheeks having nothing to do with the chill in the air.

"No, it's okay," Tooth Fairy tried for reassurance, but seemed a little flustered himself. "I just thought you might be more comfortable in your own bed if you're that tired. We can do this another time."

"I..." Alpha hesitated, not wanting to leave his company, but whatever she was about to say was spoiled by a great yawn, which she quickly covered. "You're probably right. And I have work to do tonight."

"Work?"

Alpha nodded, once more avoiding eye contact as if the topic embarrassed her...or maybe it was the fact that she'd fallen asleep on him! "Got to 'bring in the groceries'."

"Huh? Oh! That. Right." he nodded when he realized she meant 'hunting'. "You, uh...want me to walk you home?"

He truly hoped she would say no; he wasn't ready to visit The Hollow yet, and he didn't know when he would be.

"Oh, no, I'll be fine," Alpha waved a hand. "Sorry to put a damper on things."

"Ah, you didn't. Go home, get some sleep." He nudged her arm, then got up when she did. As an afterthought, he added, "Hey."

"Aye?"

He pointed a warning finger at her. "You be _careful_ out there, you hear?"

Alpha smiled and grabbed onto his finger. "It's rude to point, Roy." She then switched her grip to squeeze his hand, wearing that warm smile he liked so well. "I will."

He watched her go, then tucked his hands into his pockets and set off in the opposite direction. Maybe he should grab another nap as well...

* * *

All things considered, Tooth Fairy was having one of his better nights on the job; hardly any bad weather, at least so far, and no one was awake when he arrived. Occasionally, an over-excited little tot would still be up, watching for the Tooth Fairy, and him letting himself be seen was a serious no-no. So, when he encountered this, he simply moved on to his next few stops. The catch was, he had to remember to double back later on, and sometimes the little boogers were stubborn about it and were still awake.

Aside from one house with a protective Doberman sleeping in the kid's room ( _And that's another IOU if that dog isn't asleep when I come back,_ he thought to himself), his night was going more smoothly than it usually did.

He really should have known that the other shoe was about to drop.

As he cruised on through Ohio, he entered a room and was glad to see that the little girl was sleeping soundly. This should be quick and easy; get in, leave the coin, get the tooth, and get out. He tiptoed over to the bed, gingerly exchanged a quarter for the tooth, then turned to go after stuffing the tooth into a small pouch he wore at his side. Then, in the glow of her Spongebob nightlight, he saw the shadow box mounted to the wall.

The next thing he knew, he was landing on a random roof with no memory of how he got there. He leaned against the chimney, hyperventilating as his heart felt like it was trying to fly out of his chest. He could hardly see. He couldn't get enough air, no matter how fast he breathed. His mind raced.

 _'How did I get here? Where's here? What's happening to me? Am I dying? Wings...Can't breathe...Help me...Something's wrong...Need help...Call for help...Alpha...Please...Hurts...It hurts...'_

Something huge was building, and he knew it wouldn't be contained, but right then he didn't care. Right then, he needed _help._ And he could think of no one else to call. He sat near the chimney and it took him a distressingly long amount of time to get his numb, trembling fingers to find the right number. "Please, pick up..." he whispered over and over, almost as if it were a mantra. "Please, pick up...please, pick up..."


	5. Chapter 5: The Shadow Box

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Wow, two chapters in one night! Aaand the theme for this chapter is 'Dark Times' by Kevin Macleod._ _ **Trigger warning**_ _for a panic attack and grieving. Tooth Fairy finally lets his walls down, and Alpha is there to help._

"Chapter 5: The Shadow Box"

January

January had nearly come to a close, and Alpha left The Hollow for her fourth hunt of the night. The first two had gone very well, and the butchers had their hands full with two large doe carcasses. The third hunt, however, had gone badly for her when her attention waned due to her persistent hunger, and she stepped in a bear trap. After expelling a string of swear words that could make a sailor blush, she freed herself and popped back home to clean herself up. The gash had already stopped bleeding and was just beginning to scab over when she had a chance to assess it in the light of her home, and after cleaning it she decided not to bother wrapping it. Now with a slight limp, Alpha was in an ugly humor as she used a Fairy Ring to warp to a different stretch of forest.

Her mood lifted when she found a fresh deer trail, but her temper flared again when her new cell phone rang in her pocket, scaring the deer away and giving _her_ a pretty bad fright as well. How could humans _stand_ being reachable wherever they went? She only had a few numbers saved on it, and she only carried the damn thing with her in case Tooth Fairy texted or called, as he frequently did.

"Swear to Christmas, if it's Curtis again..." she growled as she dug her cell out of her pocket, but her irritation quickly fell away when she recognized the number. She fumbled the phone, dropped it, then slapped her forehead as she picked it back up again and swiped at the touch screen with the pad of her finger. "Hello?"

"Alpha...It-it's me." Tooth Fairy's voice was low, almost a whisper.

"'Me' who?" Alpha smiled, knowing full well who it was. "I can hardly hear you."

"Sorry, it's...it's me, Roy," There was a tightness in his voice, which immediately put Alpha on high alert. He sounded like he was out of breath, which wasn't something that typically happened with him. "I'm on a roof. I can't talk any louder, I-I don't want the family inside to hear me. I..."

"Roy? Roy, talk to me, are you okay?" Alpha rested her weight on her uninjured leg as the fur on the back of her neck began to rise.

He panted as he replied, "No...no, I'm _not_ okay. I..."

She heard him draw a shuddering breath, and she was utterly horrified when she heard soft, hoarse sobbing on the other end of the line. "Oh, Roy...what happened?"

"I...I...please, I can't breathe..."

She put her hand to her chest, feeling her heart begin to pound as horrible scenarios flashed through her mind, and she raised her voice a little. "Have ye been hurt?"

"No..."

"Do you know where you are?" She began to pace now.

"I...I...gimme a sec..." He tried to gather his thoughts and remember, but it took him a few moments. His vision, blurred by tears, had narrowed almost to a pinpoint, and if he'd known the term 'panic attack' he would have understood what was going on. Finally, it clicked in his brain and he gave her the address, not even sure why she was asking him for it if she didn't know how to get there.

But, as it turned out, she _did_ know how to get there. The power over the Fairy Rings had transferred to her when she took possession of Brinna's wings and gave them a proper burial, and while The Founders had stolen that power, it had gone _willingly_ to Alpha. Brinna was gone, but her spirit was satisfied. Alpha could now go anywhere in the world in an instant, as long as she knew exactly where to go. Of course, Tooth Fairy knew very little of this, because he refused to discuss his sister at all and hadn't learned the particulars of how the magic had affected Alpha.

"I'll be right there. Don't be startled when I show up." Alpha summoned a Fairy Ring, her ears canting back as Tooth Fairy tried to answer her but couldn't get the words out. She stepped into the Ring, then stepped out of the corresponding one that had formed on the roof where Tooth Fairy sat huddled in tears against the chimney. Her heart twisted painfully as she crossed the distance between them in three steps. "Roy..."

Tooth Fairy just sat and shook, his head buried in his arms as he hugged his knees. He heard her, but he couldn't respond. His cell phone lay abandoned between his shoes where he had dropped it.

"Roy, what _happened?_ " Alpha sat down beside him and wrapped her arm around him. "What is it?"

He tried unsuccessfully to speak, then just gave up and shook his head without raising it.

Alpha put her other arm protectively around him, holding him close and just letting him cry it out for a few minutes. When his sobs had transitioned into sniffles and uneven breaths, she tried again. "What is it? Can you tell me?"

"I'm sorry..."

"No...no, none o' that. You've done nothin' wrong."

He buried his head deeper in his arms. "It's... _Molars,_ I'm pathetic! This is _stupid_...I..."

"Hey...hey, listen to me. Whatever happened, if it has you this upset, it isn't stupid. And you are _most certainly_ not pathetic. Do you hear me?" She told him, still speaking gently, but more firmly than before.

He gulped, then tried to explain. "The kid...there was..." He sniffled a few times and tried again. "The kid had a...a _butterfly_ collection."

Alpha's forehead wrinkled in brief confusion, then her eyes flicked to his wings and she gasped softly. She thought back to that awful day when they found Brinna's wings perched above Viola's fireplace like a trophy, and held him a little closer. "Ohhh, stars in Heaven..."

He still kept his head down, not wanting her to see his face, but now he turned towards her and leaned into the hug, all thoughts of manly stoicism forgotten as his heart broke all over again. "And all I could see were her _wings_...hanging above that fireplace, and...a-and..."

"Shhh...shhh...I know...I've got ye..."

He couldn't keep himself from picturing his sister's severed wings over and over again, couldn't stop imagining them shrunken down to miniature and pinned to a card in a child's shadow box between the swallowtail and the monarch. The mental image brought on fresh waves and he buried his face in Alpha's shoulder to muffle the sounds he couldn't help making.

"I've got ye...I know...I'm here..."

He couldn't escape his own thoughts, but thoughts were all they were. She was warm, she was real, she was _there,_ and that was all he needed to know. He was far more unglued than he had been the day he learned the truth of his sister's fate, but he simply couldn't find it in himself to _care._ That day in Viola's study, even after he broke down, he still fought for control of himself. Tonight, he simply held on tight and let it happen.

 _What a horrible night this is turning out to be._ Alpha rested her cheek on top of his aviator cap, saying nothing more as centuries worth of grief poured out onto her shoulder. How long had he kept this poison buried inside? Well...at least he was getting it out now.

Alpha wasn't sure how much time had passed when he finally grew quiet, but it seemed to her that they had been there for quite a while. They stayed like that for a few minutes more, then he lifted his head and began to dry his face with the end of his scarf, but she reached into her back pocket and gave him her handkerchief. "Here, use this instead. There you go..." She sighed and continued to rub his back as he took the handkerchief and used it. "Poor fellow...you held all that in for a long time, huh?"

He half-turned away to blow his nose, then shook his head, still utterly miserable. "How am I gonna finish my rounds like _this?_ I can't lose it like this again in some kid's house..."

"Well..." she thought a moment, somewhat torn. She thought he should be able to take just _one_ night off and get himself settled, but on the other hand? She didn't know what further actions would be taken if he shirked his job, and she didn't want him to get in trouble. She thought that this was _dreadfully_ unfair. Still...when was life ever _fair?_ Maybe there could be a compromise of sorts. "You can probably afford to take a little more time to collect yourself. For now, let's just sit awhile."

He wiped at his nose again. Now that the storm had passed and his tears had subsided, he felt ashamed again. His heart was still beating a little too fast, and that worried him. Was he coming down with something? "I don't _do_ this. I don't know what's _wrong_ with me...I just...I couldn't breathe, and..."

" _Nothing_ is wrong with you. You just had a nasty shock, is all..." she said. He made a small noise of disagreement, and she went on. "I think it's what they call a 'panic attack' or a 'flashback'. It's just something that can happen. Hey...you reaching out when you needed help was a really brave thing to do, you know that? I know that doesn't come easy to ye."

"Yeah?" He finally looked up at her, not at all put off by the form she was currently in. He had gotten used to seeing her switch back and forth, and either way it was still _her._

"Mm-hmm. You don't strike me as the type who likes to ask, so yes. Definitely brave."

Tooth Fairy took a few more deep breaths as his heartbeat gradually returned to its normal speed. "So, that...was a panic attack..."

"Never had one before?" she guessed.

"Uh-uh," he shook his head. "I didn't know what was going on, and..."

"You got scared," she smiled gently. "It's okay. Happens to the best of us."

He wasn't sure if he agreed with her or not, but her words and her presence made him feel a little better all the same. He looked up at the night sky for a little while, his breath still occasionally shivering with an aftershock from his recent outburst, but he was pretty sure he was done. He felt wrung out and tired from having cried so hard and for so long, but there was relief too. He noticed in passing how bright the full moon was; that explained why she came to him in this form instead of her human form, like she usually did. Then he happened to glance down, and he saw what the moonlight revealed to him. A healing wound on her leg. At once, concern for his friend took over and he leaned forward to get a better look. "Hey, what happened to your foot?"

She snorted, tucking her leg underneath herself to hide it. "Oh, it's nothing."

"Looks like 'something' to me," He frowned at her. "Show me."

"No. Look, it's mostly healed already. It's not a big deal."

He folded his arms and pointedly raised his eyebrows. He had seen how she liked to downplay her injuries, and he wasn't playing around.

She sighed. "Bear trap. I got careless. Made me _mad_ more than it hurt me." She realized that being so dismissive about this wasn't fooling him at all when he got to his feet and walked around to her other side. She flattened her ears and tucked her leg in a little further. "What're you doing?"

"Let me see." He made a beckoning motion.

"Oh, for Pete's sake..." she grumbled and did as he asked. It was no longer bleeding, and in truth it looked worse than it really was. She couldn't stand the look of guilt in his eyes, and she opened her mouth to reassure him, but he spoke first.

"And here I am, going on about a stupid _bug collection_..." he said, half to himself, kneeling down once more. "Reach into my left coat pocket."

"Say what, now?" She blinked.

His eyes flicked embarrassedly to his left, and he cleared his throat. "I just blew my nose, and I don't want to touch anything. I always carry dental gauze with me, and you should be able to tie it in place with my hankie. Er...that's...you know what, never mind..."

She tried unsuccessfully to hold back an amused smile. "Let me guess; pants pocket?"

He made an odd motion that was halfway between a shrug and a nod. _Here_ was a dilemma! He wanted to help her bind her cut, but he was worried about getting germs in the wound, and...well, he wasn't entirely sure he was okay with having her hand on his butt-cheek, even if it _was_ just to get a hankie! And her human form would have had him even _more_ flustered! Indeed, he pictured Human Alpha fishing around in his back pocket, which wasn't exactly an unpleasant thought, and he felt his face begin to turn red. Thankfully, it was too dark for her to tell.

She itched to bring out her wicked sense of humor in the form of some playful teasing, but now wasn't the time. She reached into her own pocket and took something out, then offered the tiny plastic bottle of hand sanitizer. "Will this help?"

"Oh," Visibly relieved, he took the bottle, squirted a large dollop of the clear gel into his hand, and rubbed it in.

It wasn't long before Tooth Fairy had cobbled together a sort of crude bandage, and Alpha got up and tried her leg, mostly for his benefit. Having something to focus on besides what had led to him crying on a rooftop seemed to help him, at least a little bit, and she gave him an appreciative thumbs-up. "Thanks. That should hold until I get back."

He nodded, tucking his hands into his jacket pockets and looking very tired. "Thank _you_."

"Aye," she lightly put her arm around his shoulders, and his wings fluttered as if in response. "Anytime. You think you'll be all right to continue your rounds?"

"Yeah...I'm okay." He picked up his cell phone from where it had fallen and put it in his pocket.

This wasn't exactly true and she knew it, but she also knew what he meant. He would be able to make it through the night and get his work done. But after that? She had no idea, and she doubted even he did. Still, he was trying, and she supposed that was all anyone could do.

"Good...and remember, I'm just a phone call away."

Tooth Fairy scratched his cheek, his nails making a raspy sound on his stubble. He figured he should probably shave when he got home, but he knew he probably wouldn't. "I know." He looked over at the Eastern horizon, which was still dark but maybe a little less so, and his eyes widened. "Wow, I'm _really_ running behind schedule! I gotta go."

Alpha nodded, sensing that dawn was only a couple hours away, at least in this timezone. "All right. _Be careful_."

"You too," he lowered his goggles and pointed. "Go home and rest that leg."

Alpha gave a cheeky salute, then added, "Do me a favor and shoot me a text when you get home, would you? Just so I know you got in okay."

"Will do," he nodded and took off, one hand raised in a wave before he turned mid-air and resumed his rounds.

She watched him fly off into the night, and sat down to reflect on what had just happened. She thought of the singular set circumstances that led to a Werewolf talking the Tooth Fairy down from a panic attack, and she hoped he wouldn't find anymore shadow boxes with dead butterflies inside. She didn't know if he could take it, and she wasn't sure if she could handle seeing _him_ like that again, either.

Her stomach growled, and she got to her feet with a grunt. There was still work for _her_ to do as well this night, but she knew her heart wouldn't be in it.


	6. Chapter 6: A Friend In Need

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Alpha finally comes clean about how bad things are in The Hollow, and Tooth Fairy rallies the troops! Updates will probably be slower to come after this chapter. The last five only went up so quickly because they were mostly finished and just needed some tweaking. Listened to 'Decisions' by Kevin Macleod while writing this._

"Chapter 6: A Friend In Need"

January 31st, February 1st

Predictably, after texting Alpha as promised, the Tooth Fairy spent the entire next day sleeping. When he finally woke up, he had about half an hour to kill before he had to leave for work, and after an internal debate he reached for his cell.

Alpha picked up on the third ring, and he could hear people talking in the background. "Hey, Roy."

She sounded a bit breathless, as if she had been running or doing some heavy lifting.

"Hey, Alpha." He sat down on his bed and slipped his feet into his shoes. "About last night, I just wanted to say thanks again."

"Och, it's nae problem," she said warmly. "How're ye feelin'?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He seemed to do that a lot when they spoke, even when it was over the phone. "Better. Kind of a silly thing to set me off..."

"I'm pretty sure most people have a trigger after somethin' terrible happens," she said, "I used tae have a wee problem with the claymore. Once was a time I couldnae even _look_ at one wi'out goin' back to wha' happened. The sight of'm doesnae bother me much now."

Tooth Fairy didn't have to ask what she meant. He didn't know the details of what happened to her family, but it wasn't hard to guess. He licked his dry lips and cleared his throat. "Does it, uhhh...get better?"

Alpha was heard moving something heavy, but he couldn't figure out what. She 'hmmed' once, as if in thought. "Well, first of all, everyone's different. For me, it sor'a evolved over time. I can handle it now. There are certain anniversaries tha' are difficult, but...it doesnae hurt to think of'm now, and I don't have the flashbacks anymore."

"Oh..." he nodded thoughtfully. He noticed that her accent was much stronger today than it usually was, and he wondered why.

She set something down, and it sounded like she sat down to rest a minute. "You'll be all right, laddie..." she said gently. "I know it doesnae feel like it _now,_ but you will. And you won't have tae do it on your own."

"I know..." He looked down, not particularly enjoying the swell of warmth he felt in his chest. He hoped this unlikely crush of his would pass as quickly as it had come on. He heard a commotion in the background, and then he heard her swear in Gaelic. Unknown to her, he knew that 'mac na galla' meant 'son of a bitch', but he didn't let on that he understood that.

"Ne'er a moment's peace, Ah swear..." she grumped to herself before addressing him again. "I'm so sorry, Roy, I have tae go."

He frowned and got up to head downstairs, switching the phone to his other ear. "What's going on? Everything all right?"

"Aye, just some...er...technical difficulties, I'll talk to ye later."

She seemed to be in a hurry to get off the phone and attend to whatever was happening, and he had to finish getting ready, so he nodded and reached for his coat and scarf. "Okay, well, I'll let ya go, then. Meet up tomorrow, usual time and place?"

"Sure," she said distractedly, and they said their goodbyes.

Tooth Fairy frowned at the phone before putting it away. "Just what is going _on_ down there?"

Ah well. Even if he was ready to brave The Hollow again, he didn't have the time. He wished he did, though. He didn't think he'd ever heard her sound so stressed, but then again he hadn't even known her for three months. Long enough for them to become close friends through shared pain, long enough for him to develop a crush on her, but not long enough to have seen all of her moods.

It would have to wait until tomorrow.

* * *

" _Alpha!_ " James hollered again as Alpha came running. The food warehouse on East Mandrake Street was a maze of mostly-bare shelves, and the Skeleton stood near the door that led to the cellar.

"For Chrissakes, James, Ah heard ye the _first_ time!" she roared, causing the Skeleton to literally go to pieces in fright. "Och...pull yersel' together, man. I'm sorry, I didnae mean to yell."

The pile of bones jiggled inside the bundle of clothing, then James reformed himself and adjusted the collar of his polo shirt. "We have a _big_ problem. I need you to come down with me right away and look at something."

As the door closed behind her, she heard several of the customers clamoring to know what was going on. They were scared and angry, and she didn't blame them. Everyone had noticed the food shortage, and those with small children or elderly family members would be hit especially hard if things got much worse.

And it looked like things had, for two of the walk-in freezers stood wide open, and a rank smell wafted forth from inside. Alpha covered her nose. "What happened here?"

"Two of the freezers died, and we're not sure when it happened." James pointed to the shelves. "We lost everything inside."

"How much spoilage are we lookin' at?" she asked.

"You mean that we found?" he turned to face her. "Four hundred fifty pounds, give or take."

She put her hand over her face. "Och, this is a _disaster..._ "

"That's not the worst of it. I believe that people have been breaking in and stealing."

Oh, incredible. Alpha coughed once as the remainder of the spoiled food was carted down below to be added to the compost heap. "What makes ye think so?"

"There should have been a _lot_ more food in there. It had to go somewhere." James passed a hand over his skull. "And we found out what's gone wrong with the crops. Something's been eating them."

"It's not the crops I'm worried about. About half of the people here are strict carnivores. How much meat in the other two freezers?"

James handed her a clipboard. "Most of it seems to be there. But the way things stand...we have less than a month to get our act together, or we're not gonna make it."

Alpha felt a headache coming on. She read the clipboard, but she trusted James's account of their situation.

"Alpha...what're we going to do?"

She looked up, saw him staring at her expectantly. Imploringly. She didn't have an answer for him, and she handed back the clipboard and smoothed back the fur on her head. "I'll think of something. In the meantime, we're no' lettin' these freezers out of our sight."

James sighed. "Good thing some of us don't eat, huh?"

"Small favors..." Alpha laid a hand on his bony shoulder. "Guess the hunters will be busy for a while, aye?"

"Guess so..."

* * *

The next day, when Tooth Fairy met Alpha in Elfsburg, he immediately knew that something was very wrong. Her hug was a bit longer than usual, and her lips were pale. She never wore lipstick, or _any_ makeup, really, but her face always had some color to it. Today, she looked downright ill.

"What is it?" he asked with no preamble.

Alpha shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it."

Well, that was fair. He'd said the same thing to her before, and she'd respected his wishes and waited until he was ready. How could he not do the same? And yet...

"Okay...Let's go have lunch." He guided her with a hand on her back, and as they walked he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. As he watched, he could see what little color she still had drain out of her face, and he caught her shoulders as she began to sway. "Whoa, easy..."

"Ohh..." Alpha put a hand to her forehead, gave her head a shake in an effort to clear it, then sank down to one knee when this failed. It was either kneel down or fall down. He knelt beside her in an instant, and through her dizziness she felt his arm go around her shoulders.

"Alpha? Alpha, are you okay?" Tooth Fairy asked in a near-panic, then almost slapped himself. Clearly, she was _not_ okay!

"Aye...Got a wee bit dizzy there..." She took several deep breaths as her vision returned through a cloud of purple spots.

"Here, put your head between your knees," he instructed her, but she waved that off.

"No, I'm fine. It's away now." She wasn't looking at him, and she was still pale.

All around them, curious Elves stopped to look, and Bernard appeared at her other side with his hands on his hips.

Everyone could immediately see that the Head Elf meant _business._ "Okay, everyone, there's nothing to see here! We all have things to do! Back to work, please. Thanks. Abby, would you please bring Alpha some cocoa?"

"Right away, Bernard!" called a female Elf whom Alpha hadn't met yet.

Oh, this was humiliating!

"What happened?" Bernard would have gotten down with them, but he didn't trust his bad knee to let him back up again.

"I dunno, she got really dizzy and almost passed out." Tooth Fairy rubbed her back without even realizing he was doing it.

"I'm _fine._ " she almost snapped at them, causing the Elf and Fairy to exchange a glance. "I just needed a minute."

Bernard remembered his own collapse from several years ago. His was brought on by high blood pressure, and if it wasn't for his being put on an involuntary medical leave...and a good freezing, courtesy of Jack Frost...he wasn't sure if he would still be around to be pestered by Curtis. Truly a mixed blessing there, but now he understood Santa's concern. "I think we better get you to Dr. Hismus."

Tooth Fairy nodded, but Alpha shook her head.

"Werewolves don't get sick."

Bernard leaned down to give her a challenging stare, essentially squaring off with her, but his eyes were full of worry. "Then explain to me why you look like you're about to heave."

"Ah am'nae..." she herself didn't look so sure, but there was nothing in her stomach to come up anyway. She caught herself slipping into her brogue again, and suppressed it. "I just got a bit dizzy, is all."

Tooth Fairy shook his head. And people called _him_ stubborn! "Look, Alpha, you scared the _heck_ outta me just now."

"I'm sorry..."

"No, it's not your fault, just...Oh, here comes Abby."

Abby offered the mug with a chipper smile. "Here, this will put some color back into your cheeks."

Alpha hated to be fussed over, but she didn't want to hurt Abby's feelings, and she accepted the cocoa with a quiet thank-you. Her left knee was cold as she knelt in the snow, but she wasn't sure if she trusted herself to stand yet. Her people were going to starve if they stayed in The Hollow, and now she'd embarrassed herself and frightened her friends. She _hated_ this.

Her stomach growled loudly as she drank her cocoa, and the two men exchanged another look.

Tooth Fairy had a hunch, and he truly hoped he was wrong. "After you finish that, I _really_ want you to go see the doctor."

Alpha looked at him, and shamefully admitted, "Never been to a doctor before."

" _Never?_ " Tooth Fairy and Bernard asked in unison.

"No," she shook her head. "A few of the Witches have some medical skill, but they're not 'doctors' as such..."

"Well, better late than never," Tooth Fairy told her, determined to get to the bottom of this. He saw her shake her head, but he persisted. "I've met Dr. Hismus, he's real nice. Please...humor us."

Alpha didn't have the energy to argue with them anymore, and finally, she gave in. "Aye..."

* * *

"This should be interesting!" Dr. Hismus smiled as he shined a tiny flashlight into Alpha's eyes to gauge her pupil response. "I've never examined a Werewolf before."

Alpha sat stiffly on the small cot, painfully conscious of the fact that the Tooth Fairy was in the room with her. He had been allowed to remain because Alpha seemed nervous, and she had given her consent when he asked if she wanted him there or not. Plus, all the doctor was going to do was take her vitals and test her blood sugar. "I'm no' exactly comfortable with this..."

"That's understandable," Dr. Hismus talked as he worked, taking her temperature and her blood pressure. "Temperature's normal. Hm, blood pressure's a little low, but not enough to cause concern. That's to be expected after an episode of presyncope. But not to worry, we'll have you right as rain in a jiffy, and this won't hurt a bit. Well...the fingerstick will pinch a little, but only for a minute."

"Oh, I don't mind _that,_ I'm just no' sure there's much point to...sorry, what's that?" Her eyes followed his hands very mistrustfully, but she didn't prevent him from clamping a small device on her finger.

"Measures the oxygen in your blood," he explained.

"Huh..." She blinked, curious to know how _that_ worked, but she didn't want to admit her ignorance of such things...at least, not more than she already had!

Alpha didn't react at all to the fingerstick, though she did notice that the Tooth Fairy looked away when this was done.

"Hmm..." Dr. Hismus frowned. "You're a bit low. Have you eaten today?"

Tooth Fairy looked over at Alpha, who shrugged. Oh, no...

Dr. Hismus nodded, more serious than he usually was. "When was the last time you ate?"

Alpha mumbled something, and both men leaned forward to hear.

"Sorry, could you repeat that?" Dr. Hismus cupped a hand behind his ear.

She would have gotten up and either paced the room or left, but she still didn't feel good, and she didn't want to risk a faceplant. She saw no way out of this, and finally admitted the truth. "I'm not sure. Three days ago?"

Tooth Fairy lowered his head to his hand and sighed. "Oh, Alpha... _why?_ "

Dr. Hismus could see that there was a discussion to be had, one that might or might not get a bit loud, and he decided to make himself scarce. "Let me give you a few minutes, shall I? I'll bring you back a sandwich."

The door shut, and they sat in silence for a moment before Tooth Fairy raised his head. "Alpha...would you look at me, please?"

She did as he asked, her face expressionless.

"I want to know what's going on."

This was getting to be too much, and Alpha got up to leave. She glared when he stood up and blocked her path. "Let me out."

"Alpha, don't do this." he practically begged. "This isn't the same as with me. It's your _health._ You can't mess around with that. You helped me, let me help you."

"You _can't_ help me!" she finally yelled, though it wasn't exactly 'at' him. " _No one_ can! You wannae know wha's goin' on? Fine, I'll tell ye! The crops on the lower level are bein' plundered, and so are the freezers! We don't know who it is or now many of'm there are, an' I'm no' recognizin' any unfamiliar scents, so it could be _anyone!_ Two of the walk-in freezers, _two_ of'm, are broken, and James thinks it was sabotage! Which means one of our own has turned on us, which means we're _screwed!_ We've got _maybe_ enough food to last us through the month, and that's it! Most of the big hunters left when The Founders did! There used to be seventy-eight, and we're down to _twelve!_ It's all falling on _us,_ and we can't keep up! If the food runs out, even the _children_ will go wi'out! Everyone's scared, fighting, and..."

She wasn't sure when she'd started to cry, but this was as far as she got before he snapped out of his state of shock and hugged her tight. Alpha had provided a shoulder for him two nights ago, and now he stood strong for her. She didn't fight him.

"I don't know what to _do!_ " she sobbed as he held her.

"We'll _help_ you," he whispered into her hair. "We _will._ Did you think you couldn't ask us?"

She didn't answer him right away, but finally she shook her head. "It's never been an option before...'We take care of our own'...that's what we've always done, because The Founders never did _shite!_ Ex...excuse the language, but it's true. We could never _ask_ them, and...I only just joined the Council, so I didn't _know._ "

"And the whole time you were dealing with that, you were busy helping _me,_ too _._ Oh, Alpha, I'm so sorry..." He shook his head, then his expression grew firm once more and he stepped back. He gave her a wad of Kleenex from the nearby tissue box and kept a hand on her shoulder.

"You were helpin' me, too..." she admitted as she used the tissues. "Being able to get away from it all for a bit, or just talkin' on the phone...It's the one thing I've looked forward to this past month."

He was absurdly gratified to hear that, and he held up a finger. "You know what? We're gonna fix this."

"How?"

Tooth Fairy took out his cell phone and began to tap out a group text. "I think it's about time I got back on speaking terms with the Council."


	7. Chapter 7: Ready Or Not

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Things are still a bit tense between Tooth Fairy and Santa, but their friendship is finally on the mend. A plan is made, Jack and Cupid have another debate, and Alpha realizes a couple things. Background music is 'Daybreak' by Kevin Macleod. (Yeah, I know I listen to his music a lot for these, but he's got a lot of songs, so it's not hard to find a mood!)_

"Chapter 7: Ready...Or Not"

February

Tooth Fairy left Alpha in the Elfirmary so that she could have her sandwich and orange juice and receive some important advice, and he nearly bumped into Santa and Bernard. His eyes hardened a bit at the sight of Santa, whom he was still rather miffed at. "Were you listening at the door?"

"No, we just got here," Bernard said indignantly; it was true, and he didn't like being accused of things he didn't do. "What's going on? Is she sick? Santa said you called a Council meeting _here,_ too, what's that about?"

After a look back to make sure they were far enough away from the Elfirmary as to not be heard, Tooth Fairy turned to them and lowered his voice. "They're almost out of food down there. She hasn't eaten in three days...she thinks. She's not sick, she's just _hungry._ And she thinks someone's been sabotaging them by destroying equipment and raiding their food supply."

Santa's eyes widened, and he looked over at the closed Elfirmary door. "Well, why didn't she _say_ anything? We're pretty good at fixing things, and the Council's helped each other out of jams before."

Tooth Fairy pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He felt guilty because he hadn't prodded Alpha more aggressively for information before this, and seeing her cry like that had torn him apart inside. "Because she didn't know she _could._ From what she told me, The Founders were pretty abusive to everyone, and I believe her. Her people were on their own, and had to pretty much rely on themselves and each other. They're basically refugees with nowhere else to go, so they band together to make it work. They were too busy trying to survive and keep their moods up to fight back, and now there's a new threat and they don't know what it is."

"Silver Bells..." Bernard folded his arms, shaking his head ruefully. "Those poor people..."

"Yeah..." Tooth Fairy nodded. "She knows the Council isn't anything like them, but...we didn't exactly make things clear when she was sworn in, so how was she supposed to know? She thought she had to do it all on her own, and I...just didn't see it. I should've seen it."

Santa closed his eyes and rubbed his face with a deep sigh. This woman and her friends had brought his son home to him, and he had _no_ idea things were this bad in The Hollow. He wished she'd known she could come to them for help!

Bernard gave Tooth Fairy an inscrutable look. It was normal to be concerned for a friend. _Good,_ even. Bernard liked Alpha very much, and he had to admit that she could 'turn on the funny' when she wanted to, but he sure wasn't taking this development as hard as the Tooth Fairy seemed to be. Yes, he was worried enough to take a break from work to check on how she was doing, but this was different. This looked like something more. Then the Elf shook his head. It was none of his business. "We _both_ know how stubborn she is. Even if she'd known-"

"She would have asked," Tooth Fairy interrupted him. "Those people mean the world to her. If she knew, she would've put her pride on the shelf in a heartbeat."

Santa nodded, and put a hand on the Tooth Fairy's shoulder. Tooth Fairy stiffened a little, both from the unexpected contact and from his own resentment, but he didn't prevent it. "Well, she knows _now,_ and that means we can do something about it."

Tooth Fairy narrowed his eyes a little. "Still think The Founders don't deserve to be executed?"

Santa removed his hand, a pained look on his face. "C'mon, Molinator. You _know_ me. It wasn't an easy choice to make. They took Buddy, and they attacked us. They nearly killed you. Part of me...a _big_ part...wanted to vote in favor of, not against, and I know I'm not the only one. But we're not killers, and you know it. Even if the vote went your way...it would've made us just like _them_."

Tooth Fairy tried to hold onto his anger, tried to think of something cutting to say, but in the end he just sighed and nodded, studying the ground. As much as he hated it, Santa was _right._

"Is that what you want?" Santa asked.

"No..." Tooth Fairy rubbed the inner corners of his eyes, something he sometimes did when he was trying to suppress tears, and he sighed. "Anyway, is everyone else here?"

"Yeah. There wasn't much time to set up for a meeting, so they're all waiting in the Workshop." Santa pointed over his shoulder. "You think she's ready to join us?"

A voice from behind them caused them all to jump. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

They all jumped and turned, and saw Alpha leaning against one of the building's columns with her arms folded and a slight smirk on her face.

Bernard smiled, albeit guiltily. "Your color's a lot better. You okay?"

Alpha pushed off of the column and walking over to join them. "Much better. Thanks."

Tooth Fairy was greatly relieved to see that Bernard was right about her color being better, and his heart lifted when he saw that she seemed to be in better spirits. He wanted to hug her, but with an audience watching them so closely he didn't quite dare, and he put a hand on her shoulder instead. "Great. C'mon, we have a meeting to go to."

* * *

Alpha was very surprised when Mother Nature came forward and gave her a gentle, motherly embrace.

"You poor child..."

A little bashful and painfully conscious of the many eyes on her, Alpha mildly protested. "I'm four hundred and ninety-eight..."

Tooth Fairy chuckled and rested his hand on her back. "Well, I'm five hundred even, and trust me, we're _infants_ compared to her and Father Time."

Mother Nature stepped back from the hug and feigned indignance. "Are you calling me _'old',_ young man?"

"No, ma'am!" he made the Boy Scout Salute, and this got a chuckle out of everyone. The ice was officially broken.

The Easter Bunny, who happened to be standing nearby, made accidental eye contact with the Werewolf and took an involuntary step back when she didn't immediately look away.

"What?" Alpha blinked once.

"Could you _not_ look at me like I'm a Scooby Snack?" the large bunny nervously twitched his nose.

Alpha rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Don't flatter yourself. Oh, before I forget, there's just one thing..."

"What?" Easter Bunny stiffened nervously.

Alpha grinned and poked his nose with her index finger. "Boop!"

"Wh-" Easter Bunny gaped at her.

" _Told_ ye I'd boop your nose at some point!" Alpha smiled, and the other Council members burst out laughing, even Cupid, and she folded her arms. "I _told_ you before, I won't hurt you. So relax."

Even the Easter Bunny had to chuckle now, and he gave her an apologetic nod before they got down to business.

Mother Nature didn't even have her gavel this time, it was such short notice. "The Tooth Fairy has called this emergency meeting of the Council of Legendary Figures, and I think we all know why. I'm afraid that Father Time and I were remiss in our duties as informers when Alpha was inducted into the Council, and for this I apologize."

Alpha shifted uncomfortably, standing close to the Tooth Fairy. "Oh, no, it's...I should have known..." She glanced at Tooth Fairy when he put his arm around her.

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda..." he told her. "You _didn't._ Now you do."

Jack Frost discreetly nudged Cupid, who feigned ignorance. Sandman was oblivious as usual as he tried to stay awake. Santa raised a speculative eyebrow. Father Time and Mother Nature exchanged a look. The Easter Bunny twitched an ear, but he didn't say anything. Everyone but the Sandman noticed how chummy Tooth Fairy and Alpha had become in such a short period of time, but no one seemed to really mind it.

Mother Nature continued, "Father Time and I have discussed it, and we will supplement your food supply until you are in a more stable situation. In the meantime, we will try to figure out what is going on."

Alpha felt the sting of tears trying to gather in her eyes, and she blinked a few times to suppress them. "I...I don't know what to say."

Cupid's deadpan voice drew all eyes in his direction. "How about 'thank you'?"

Alpha gave a watery laugh and rubbed her face. "Thank you."

Mother Nature's smile was warm and loving. "I, at least, will go there with you to have a look around. Anyone else who wishes to go, raise your hand."

Cupid and Jack raised their hands in unison. The Easter Bunny hesitated, then raised his paw. Sandman and Santa followed suit, along with Father Time and the Tooth Fairy.

And at this, Alpha frowned a little. Tooth Fairy had gone a bit pale, and his arm, which was still around her shoulders, twitched a little. _Can he handle this now?_

"Then it's settled," Father Time leaned on his staff and pointed at the front doors of the Workshop. "We meet outside in ten minutes. And I'm keeping track."

"We know," most of the Council chorused, and they dispersed to make whatever preparations they deemed necessary.

Tooth Fairy let go of Alpha, but stayed close to her. "We'll fix this," he told her again.

Alpha pressed her lips together in thought, then looped her hand through the crook of his arm and nodded towards the door.

Jack Frost waved Cupid over and asked in a hushed tone. "So, what do you think?"

Cupid shrugged. "Hard to tell. He seems to be into _her,_ but I'm not so sure she's into _him._ Not that way. Then again, he coulda just been trying to comfort her. I didn't know things were this bad there..."

Jack shrugged and said brightly, "Well, either way, they seem pretty close."

Cupid nodded sagely. "They say 'suffering brings people together'. The friendship thing is rock-solid. It could still go anywhere...but I dunno if they're on their way to coupledom. I still say it's a stretch."

Jack sulkily folded his arms. "Why is everyone on the Council such a party pooper?"

"Just to annoy _you,_ Jack."

* * *

The Tooth Fairy allowed himself to be led out and off to the side, a small frown creasing his brow. "What?"

Alpha took a deep breath and turned to him. "Roy...I want ye to tell me the truth. Are you going because you're _ready,_ or because you think you're _supposed_ to?"

"I..." Tooth Fairy blanched, and he couldn't force the words 'I'm ready' out of his mouth. This wasn't _fair!_ He wanted to help her, wanted to be there for her as she was for him, but...

"Roy..." she put her hands on his shoulders.

Tooth Fairy remembered the mansion, that awful day, his pain, his tears, that dark city, and he hung his head. The thought of stepping into a Fairy Ring and going to that place made his heart pound, and not in a good way. He looked down at the ground.

Alpha nodded gently. Most of the Council had agreed to go with her, and now there was light at the end of the tunnel. If it wasn't for the Tooth Fairy...if it wasn't for _Roy_...this wouldn't have happened. "You're not ready."

Tooth Fairy huffed and clenched his fists. "I _should_ be!"

"Why?" she kept her hands on his shoulders.

"Because..." But he had no answer.

Alpha shook her head. She could see how hard this was for him, and she knew why it was so hard. His sister had been murdered there. He had nearly died there himself when the Founders tried to take his wings. And yet, he was trying to force himself to face it, all for her. _I could fall in love with this man..._

Alpha pushed that thought away. "Roy, I want ye to listen to me, all right?"

He looked at her, waiting for her to speak.

"I don't want you going down there today," she said softly.

"But-"

"No," she shook her head. "Not until you're sure you're ready."

The Tooth Fairy appreciated this more than he wanted to admit, and he shook his head. "I just...feel like such a failure. You need help, and..."

Alpha caught his face between her hands, and he had no choice but to look at her. "You're _not_ a failure. Don't say it, and don't think it. All this... _You're_ the one who made it possible! Even if you're not there in person, you'll still be there in everything we do today. The Hollow will still be there whenever you decide you're ready. Thanks to you, it _will_ be there."

Her hands were so _warm..._ or maybe it was just the blood that had gathered underneath his skin. He was both relieved and disappointed when she lowered her hands and turned to face the group that had appeared in the doorway. They both turned a bit red at having been caught, but they didn't deny it or make excuses.

"Are we ready?" Mother Nature asked mildly.

"Well..." Alpha glanced at the tooth Fairy, who looked down. "Turns out he has something to take care of, but we can leave now, if you want."

Mother Nature nodded and gave a knowing smile as she descended the staircase with the others.

Jack Frost nudged Cupid. "Eh?"

Cupid conceded with a shrug. " _Maybe._ "


	8. Chapter 8: Soul Searching

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _TF-centric chapter. Tooth Fairy has some thinking to do, and decides to do it on the roof of the Workshop. Not a good place to seek solitude when Santa's nosy Head Elf works there! Bernard doesn't really do the 'kid gloves' thing; he gives him a bit of a boot in the butt and gets him thinking. And a certain river monster makes an appearance! Same theme music as the previous chapter._

"Chapter 8: Soul Searching"

February

After Alpha and the rest of the Council left, Tooth Fairy flew up onto the roof of Santa's Workshop to have a good, long think. He chewed his thumbnail and wondered what they would do when they got there, wondered if they would be okay. He caught himself indulging in one regrettable habit and switched to a stranger one; he began to wind and unwind a length of dental floss around his index finger.

He wasn't ready. He'd thought he was, but he wasn't sure, and now...

Alpha, bless her, had done her best to reassure him that it was okay. She'd even ordered him to stay behind, and he knew she only had his well-being in mind, but now that he was the odd man out and they were in possible danger he wondered if he _should_ have pushed himself.

Several members of E.L.F.S. flew past him with their jetpacks, but none of them acknowledged him, so he just assumed they didn't notice him sitting there. He forgot about them as soon as they passed, and so he didn't notice when one of them landed and jogged into the Workshop.

* * *

"Bernard!"

The Head Elf turned from the schematic he and another Elf were poring over. "What is it, Jason? We're running behind today."

The Elf called Jason adjusted his jetpack, panting a little from jogging with the added weight. "I just spotted the Tooth Fairy sitting on the roof."

"So?" Bernard turned aside to answer a question. "What? No, no, no, that goes _there._ Like this, see? Good." He turned back to Jason and continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "He does that from time to time when he needs a rest."

"I know, but it looks like something's bugging him this time."

Bernard put his hands to his temples. "Jason...you can handle this yourself, can't you? I'm a busy Elf!"

Jason fidgeted. He knew the Tooth Fairy was a nice guy, but he'd never actually spoken with him. As if to give lie to his name, Tooth Fairy looked like he could have played football, and seeing him look so down actually intimidated Jason a little. "Well, sir...I...I don't know what to say to him. You seem to get along with him, and I thought..."

Bernard sighed and relented. "Fine. I think I know what this is about anyway. Caleb, you think you got it from here?"

The Elf Bernard was supervising gave a thumbs-up and a 'yes, sir!', and Bernard disappeared in a cloud of sparkles.

* * *

"What are you doing up here?"

Bernard's voice startled the Tooth Fairy so badly that he fluttered three feet into the air. He came back down again, the corners of his mouth quirking down in a frown, and sat cross-legged where he was before. "Thinking."

Clearly. Bernard adjusted his hat and walked over. He sat down a few feet away, hoping his knee would let him get up again when he was ready to leave. "About what?"

"Things." Tooth Fairy's brow beetled. Why couldn't he be left alone today?

Bernard rolled his eyes. "You're thinking about _Alpha._ "

Annoyed, Tooth Fairy left off his floss winding and squinted at Bernard. "So what?"

The Elf shrugged. "You two have been spending a lot of time together, right?"

Why was everybody so nosy? Even Alpha's intervention had annoyed him at first, but that was different in a way. Alpha had sort of had it thrust upon her, and Curtis had pulled a fast one. With many an apology, she had simply made herself available and let him open up in his own time. He didn't share the same kind of history with Bernard. Plus, Bernard was a _guy._ It wasn't the same. In fact, it felt a little weird. No unburdening would happen today! "What about it?"

"Nothing." Bernard packed some snow in his hands and squeezed it until it became an ice ball, which he threw at a nearby chimney where it burst on impact. "So, what was that about earlier? I thought you were going, too."

"Why all the questions?"

Bernard made another ice ball. "One of the E.L.F.S. members saw you sitting here and came in to get me. I was kind of in the middle of something, too. He said you looked kinda down, and I was wondering why you're moping around on top of the Workshop."

Okay, _that_ one stung his ego! "I don't _mope_."

"Of course you don't." Bernard hid a smirk and chucked the ice ball. Another bull's eye.

They stayed there in silence for a little while, to the point where Bernard was running out of snow, and finally Tooth Fairy had had enough. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

Bernard raised an eyebrow. "Don't _you?_ "

Tooth Fairy growled under his breath, and folded his arms. "Look, just leave me _alone!_ I just want to sit and think, why can't I just do that?"

Bernard didn't back down from the man's small flare of temper. Even when he was angry, the Tooth Fairy was generally harmless. The one exception, at least that Bernard had seen, was in The Hollow when he realized that his sister was dead and they had to square off with The Founders. _Then_ the Tooth Fairy had been a force to be reckoned with! Right now, he was just an indecisive guy who was going through a few things, and he didn't frighten Bernard at all. "Because you feel guilty for not going, that's why."

Tooth Fairy _glared._

Bernard went on, "Look, ears like these don't miss much. I overheard the last of what Alpha told you. She gave you permission to opt out, but now that you have you feel lousy about it. So, now you have to decide which is better; sitting on your tush and feeling guilty, or facing your demons."

Now the Tooth Fairy got up to leave, brushing off the seat of his pants. "I don't have to listen to this."

"No, you don't," Bernard agreed, "But you know it's true. Unh...but before you go, can you do me a favor?"

"What?" he snapped.

"...Help me to my feet? My knee locked up." Bernard admitted, looking the other way as his cheeks turned pink. Tooth Fairy wasn't the only one who disliked asking for help!

Tooth Fairy huffed a sigh and helped the Elf up. Bernard teleported out without a word, and the Tooth Fairy hadn't expected that. So, was that the end of the lecture? He was going to leave, but with the Elf gone he sat down again, surly and glum. Bernard had planted a seed of doubt, though, and he found himself pondering the Elf's words.

Bernard had hit the nail right on the head. Tooth Fairy wished he was with them. Even as he thought about entering The Hollow, his anxiety, while present, wasn't quite as strong as before. Could he handle it now?

Would there be another panic attack? No...no, he didn't think so. Would he be able to focus on what he was doing? He wasn't sure, but opting out and not trying at all felt pretty bad.

He remembered how Alpha had comforted him two nights ago on another roof, remembered her gentleness and her understanding, and his heart swelled with a now-familiar warmth. He remembered how his own heart had twisted in his ribcage when he saw _her_ break down and cry today, and he wondered if she felt the same way when she helped him through his episode. He thought she probably did.

The pain hadn't gone away...but the relief of letting it out and letting himself _really_ cry for the first time in centuries had lasted, and he finally accepted everything that had happened. Alpha had been right there with him, almost seeming to go through it right along with him. And he loved her for it.

Was he _in_ love with her? He hardly knew, because he'd never been in love before. All he knew for sure was that it had been a _long_ time since he'd reached this level of trust with anyone. And it had been a long time since he had truly let himself go and mourned his loss. There was a time, before he knew Brinna was dead, that he mourned because he knew she wasn't coming back, but there was still that little shred of doubt. This time, there was none. He could finally move on.

Now Alpha needed help, and he had provided it, but he still wasn't directly involved. And now he was thinking in circles.

 _Maybe I_ _ **can**_ _handle it...It's not like I haven't been there before, and I won't be alone. I can still leave if it gets to be too much. I know she'll understand. She always seems to understand. It won't be like it was. The Founders are gone. The mansion is gone. Brinna...she's been laid to rest._

The thought of his sister's name caused his eyes to sting, but they remained dry, and without any effort on his part. The pain was there...but he could bear it.

And Alpha needed him.

Tooth Fairy got to his feet again and heaved a deep sigh as he prepared himself. He asked himself one more time if he could do this. And the answer was, unequivocally, yes. Since he'd been to The Hollow before, he would have been able to locate it if he tried. "Well...here goes."

He closed his eyes and held his hand out, palm-down. His hand glowed faintly purple, and he turned it palm-up and made a lifting motion. A Fairy Ring, which wasn't something he summoned very often, appeared in front of him. He stared at it for a moment, then deliberately stepped into it and shut his eyes.

When he appeared in The Hollow, he was unknowingly standing in the very same Fairy Ring that Bernard had appeared in last November; the one closest to Alpha's home. The first thing he noticed, and it was a _big_ thing, was that being near it didn't make him nauseous. There was no oppressive feeling to the Fairy magic here. The place _did_ feel different. If he didn't know about what was currently going on, he could swear that all was peaceful.

Tooth Fairy took a deep breath through his nose, and the air didn't smell stale like it had before. He breathed out through his mouth, and his heartbeat held steady at the normal rate. He was okay...at least, he thought so. Now for the final test. He turned to the Fairy Ring, and, greatly daring, reached out to touch one of the mushrooms. He winced in anticipation, but this time there was no assault on his senses. He couldn't sense his sister at all. Instead, he sensed Alpha. And, apparently, she sensed _him!_ He heard her voice in his head, calling his name with a note of surprise, and he smiled to himself. He sent back to her, ' _I'm_ _ **sure**_ _. I'd like to explore on my own for a bit, then I'll come find you, okay?'_.

Alpha's response wasn't so much a word as it was a mixture of feelings; lingering concern, pride on his behalf, and...something else? She stopped sending before he could identify it, and he removed his hand. "The heck was _that?_ " he muttered, then shook his head.

He fluttered up into the air to get a bird's eye view, and looked down at the city below. He saw that the place _was_ much brighter than he remembered. Every other street lamp was white now, giving more light to the place, and several of the buildings now had flood lights on them. He avoided looking at the place where the cemetery was located...he wasn't ready for _that_ yet, and there was no doubt about it...but he felt a wave of calm wash over him as he hovered in place and took in his surroundings

"...I'm okay with this," he murmured, and a slow smile crept over his rough-featured face. "Heh...I'm _okay_ with this."

There was a dark place above the city, and Tooth Fairy knew exactly what was there...or what had been. He could see that some of the mansion's foundation still remained, but for the most part the place _had_ been reduced to rubble and carted away to who-knows-where. Even the nine houses that sat nearby, the homes belonging to The Founders' nine followers, had been razed to the ground. "Alpha was right...I missed quite the party."

In a way, he regretted it. Still, at the time she'd had no way to contact him, and he would have said no.

Tooth Fairy turned in mid-air and faced in the opposite direction. He could see several small houses, a river with a single bridge, and...were those _glowing eyes_ he saw watching him from the river?

Oh, yeah. Alpha had mentioned a river creature called 'Silas'. Apparently, he was something of a mentor to her, or had been at one point, and sometimes made scarily accurate predictions. Tooth Fairy flew a little lower, and the creature extended a webbed hand and beckoned.

Well...if Alpha trusted Silas, the Tooth Fairy saw no reason to be fearful, and he lowered himself down to stand at the river's edge. "Hello?"

The eyes drew nearer with a splash, and an ugly frog-like face appeared in the light of the magical jack-o-lanterns that lined the roads. "Well, now...I haven't seen a Fairy in this place in a _long_ time."

Tooth Fairy fidgeted with his floss; he began to regret this decision, but he didn't leave. "How long?"

"Hmm... _well_ over four hundred years." Silas rested his elbows on the bank. "Alpha's told me a lot about you."

Tooth Fairy fluttered his wings a little, unsure, then settled cross-legged on the ground. "All good, I hope."

"Of course."

"So...you know who I am." It wasn't a question.

Silas blinked his glowing, baseball-sized eyes once. "I do. _And_ I knew your sister."

Tooth Fairy's eyes began to sting, but again he was relieved to find that he was all right. But it was time to set some boundaries. "Sorry, I don't want to talk about my sister right now."

"I understand," was Silas's calm response.

Tooth Fairy desisted with the dental floss and leaned forward. "I just wanted to ask you a few questions, if that's okay."

"Of course." Silas gestured for him to proceed.

"Alpha told me that there's a food shortage here. She said you could...I dunno, predict things. Do you know what's happening, or how things will turn out?"

Silas closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. "Sonny, if I knew that, I would have informed Alpha weeks ago."

Disappointment caused Tooth Fairy's posture to sag, and he rested his chin on his fist. "I was afraid of that."

Silas watched him in silence for a moment, then he smiled. His needle-like teeth caused Tooth Fairy to jolt a little from where he sat, but the man stayed put as the river monster spoke. "She cares for you a great deal, you know. Much more than she knows."

"Yeah?" Tooth Fairy fought a smile. Well, he already _knew_ she cared for him; they were friends! So...what exactly did Old Silas mean by that?

"It's good you decided to come today." And with that, Silas pushed off the bank and submerged.

Tooth Fairy shot to his feet. "Hey, wait! I wanted to ask you about something!"

But Silas was gone.

The winged man scowled and folded his arms. "Nuts..."


	9. Chapter 9: Pairing Off

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _The Council visits The Hollow and meets some of the people there. The group splits up to investigate, each with an escort from The Hollow, and both Cupid and Jack Frost do a little digging of their own. TF still has far to go, but he's found his courage again. This will be a longer chapter than usual, and the next one will be_ _ **huge,**_ _so get some popcorn and kick back! I've been working on the next chapter for the past three or four days, not wanting to lose the idea, so I'll be posting both of these in one day. Hope you enjoy!_

"Chapter 9: Pairing Off"

February

Upon arriving at The Hollow, Alpha leaned against a wall and removed her shoes and socks. "Easter Bunny, fair warning; I'm goin' tae transform."

He stiffened. "Wh-what for?"

She tucked her socks into the toes of her shoes and patiently explained. "Because people here are used to seeing me _that_ way, and it'll save time explaining. If they see you're all with me, and they _know_ it's me, we can avoid a misunderstanding."

"Oh..."

Cupid rolled his eyes. "C'mon, E.B., you're being ridiculous. She pals around with the _Tooth Fairy,_ for cryin' out loud. She's not gonna eatcha!"

Alpha shook her head, not at all offended. "Most spiders are harmless, and people who're afraid of them _know_ this, but they're still afraid. I'm a wolf, and he's a bunny. I'd think it was weird if he _wasn't_ scared at first. Might even think he was a bit daft." She smiled and tapped the side of her head.

Mother Nature nodded and rested a hand on the Easter Bunny's furry shoulder. "Alpha is able to act against her predatory nature and leave the reindeer alone. There's nothing to fear."

"Ready?" Alpha asked him.

The Easter Bunny sighed and lowered his ears. "No, but go ahead..."

Her transformations were so much quicker now that they were painless, and she stood stock-still immediately afterwards to gauge his reaction. He took a single hop backwards and cringed. Then, seeing that she wasn't doing anything, he twitched his nose. "That's really _you_ in there?"

"Aye," she nodded, her voice slightly deeper in this form, but still, unmistakably, hers. "You all right?"

He hopped forward and hesitantly reached out, then halted just short of touching her arm.

Alpha lowered herself to one knee, giving him the height advantage, and nodded encouragingly. "You can."

Easter Bunny reached out his paw, jerked it back after giving her shoulder a light poke, then tugged on one of her ears. "Huh..." He poked the side of her muzzle a few times.

Her eyes shifted to the main group as if to say, 'can you believe this?', and she smirked. "All right, I'll give ye that. But if ye start petting me, we're gonna have problems."

Everyone laughed, and Easter Bunny covered his face. "Okay...I think I'm good. Where are we going?"

"I thought we'd start at the warehouse on East Mandrake Street. Most of you haven't been here before, so if we split up to look around you'll need to have an escort so there isn't any trouble" she replied.

Sandman yawned. "Good idea. Then, what?"

"I haven't the foggiest..." Alpha's ears drooped.

Santa clapped her on the shoulder. "If nothing stands out, we regroup and compare notes. Maybe one of us will pick up on something everyone else missed."

Alpha nodded and her ears stood up again. She led the group a short distance, and they spotted an angry crowd hanging around the warehouse.

"I have _children!_ "

"You can't do this! You can't lock us out!"

"Are we out of food, or what?!"

"This isn't right!"

A Skeleton blocked the door, holding his clipboard in front of him like a shield. "Please, just _listen_ to me! Alpha said-"

"We don't give a _damn_ what Alpha said!"

Just then, the crowd spotted Alpha, and seeing the company she brought with her they all fell silent.

"James!" Alpha called, waving him over. As soon as he was out of the way, someone kicked in the door and the crowd surged inside.

"Hey!" James turned, but Alpha lightly grabbed his shoulder.

"Let them take what they will." she told him. "And I think it's time we told them all what we know."

"But..." he trailed off when he noticed Alpha's companions, then he hid behind her, his bones rattling like a set of wooden wind chimes.

They could hardly believe what they were seeing. This monstrous creature...this walking corpse...was _afraid_ of them! Mother Nature was the first to recover from the sight of him, unnatural though he was. "Hello. We are the Council of Legendary Figures. I am Mother Nature. These are Father Time, Santa Claus, Jack Frost, Cupid, the Sandman, and the Easter Bunny. We're here to help."

The skeleton immediately fell apart.

Alpha sighed, lightly prodding the bundle of bones and clothing with her foot. "Buck up, old boy. Don't go to pieces on me now!"

James reformed again, wiping nonexistent sweat from his skull. "I'm just so relieved..."

Alpha looked back at the Council. "This is James, by the way. Bit timid, but he's a good fellow."

There was a chorus of greetings from the Council, and James waved. "Hello. Come inside. Hopefully we won't get trampled..."

When they got inside, Pearl and Punky, who must've already been in there, were standing off to the side in deep conversation. Robert, who now sported a shock of pink hair, sat cross-legged on top of one of the shelves to observe the chaos. As soon as the Vampire spotted them, he jumped down and walked over.

"Man, this is _crazy!_ What'd you let 'em in for?"

Alpha twitched an ear and snagged his chin in her hand. "Got a better question for ye; why do you have pink hair?"

He pulled free and shook said hair out of his eyes. "Lost a bet."

Everyone missed the look Jack and Cupid exchanged.

Robert looked over at the Easter Bunny. "Boy, you've got some nerve coming down here!"

"Robert!" Alpha growled.

"What? That was a compliment!" the Vampire didn't seem to understand his blunder. "With a food shortage, and all..."

The Easter Bunny trembled, but said nothing.

Pearl walked over, followed by Punky. Omen, who had been sitting on another shelf, jumped down and approached.

Punky interjected. "If everyone knows they're with us, it'll be fine. What's going on?"

Father Time turned to him. "Mother Nature will restore your crops, and Santa wants to take a look at your freezers. The rest of us will look for what caused all the trouble."

Several of the people around them overheard, and the news got passed along like a game of 'telephone'. Naturally, it got distorted, so Alpha had to call for silence so that she could explain. A deafening cheer echoed off the walls of the nearly-empty warehouse, and several members of the odd assortment of creatures declared that the Easter Bunny was safe with them. He didn't seem to fully believe them, but finally he began to relax.

"So!" Santa clapped his hands together, rubbing them eagerly. "How 'bout a look at those freezers?"

James waved him forward with his clipboard. "Right this way."

* * *

Pearl led Mother Nature down a flight of stairs to the agricultural level. Father Time, who had decided to tag along with them, covered his nose with his sleeve. The compost smell didn't seem to bother Mother Nature, however, and she shook her head at the sorry state of the plants. In the distance, row upon row of fruit trees stood stark and bare beneath the artificial sunlight that lit up the place. "Is that an apple orchard over there?"

"It is indeed," Pearl led them through the gardens. Tomatoes, peppers, corn, strawberries, and, of course, pumpkins. Here and there, the occasional healthy plant remained. It was indeed a pitiful sight. "We go through a lot of cider here."

Father Time shook his head. "Without intervention, this place will be totally barren in two weeks, one day, seventeen hours, and thirty-three minutes."

Pearl put her fist on her hip and said wryly, "But who's counting?"

"I am. But Mother Nature can take care of this."

"I can restore the gardens, but it may be another year before the trees bear fruit again." Mother Nature pointed to the other plants. "These will take less time, so I'll start here. Father Time, why don't you go for a walk, see what you can see?"

"Can't argue with a lady."

Mother Nature smiled after him before turning to tend to a tomato plant.

* * *

Easter Bunny, who had paired off with Punky, kept glancing over his shoulder to see if they were being followed. The pumpkin-headed mannequin noticed this, and tried to reassure him as he led the way to The Pale Horse.

"They're _not_ bad people, you know. They're just suspicious of outsiders. Once they know you're allowed to be here they'll leave you alone."

The Easter Bunny adjusted his large bowtie as he hopped along at Punky's side. "I'm more worried they might look at me and see a giant drumstick, like in the cartoons..."

Punky chuckled at that. "Nooo. For one thing, everyone here seems to be partial to venison, not rabbit. For another, the hunters don't hunt _here._ Even if they didn't recognize you as a guest, you don't gotta worry about _that._ "

"Well, that's a relief..." Easter Bunny twitched an ear. "This place seems to be _full_ of predators, though. Every instinct in me is telling me to run. It's kind of hard to ignore."

"I guess it _would_ be," Punky fished a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door to his bar. "Welcome to The Pale Horse! I'd offer you something, but I've been cleaned out."

"That's why we're here, then? To see if we can figure out what did that?" Easter Bunny twitched his nose.

"If we can." Punky ducked behind the bar and came up with a list of damages. "I cleaned up most of it, but the other day it looked like someone just came in and went nuts, throwing cider jugs and liquor bottles everywhere. The Jukebox just randomly stopped working. It's old, so it could have just gotten worn out."

"Huh...Can we move it? I wanna take a look at the back."

Punky shrugged and walked back around the bar to turn the juke box. "Help me out with this, wouldja?"

Between the two of them, they pushed the juke box partially away from the wall. The power cord had been severed, but the plug was still in the wall.

"Ugh, someone cut the cord..." Punky reached for it before the Easter Bunny could stop him.

"No, don't touch that, you'll-"

But it was too late. Punky pulled the plug out of the wall; there was an electrical pop, a spark, and the stench of ozone, but Punky held up the plug. He was completely unharmed.

"I'm not technically _alive,_ " he explained, "so I can't exactly die of electrocution, can I?"

" _Candy hearts,_ don't do that..." Easter Bunny put a paw to his chest. Then he leaned forward and took the plug, looking closely at the cord. "Wait a minute...This wasn't cut. Something chewed right through it. And look...there's fur on the floor."

"That _could_ be Alpha's. She's in here all the time. She wouldn't do this..."

"Wrong shade of brown," Easter Bunny shook his head.

Punky leaned over for a better look, then straightened again. "Well...far too long to be from a mouse or a rat. I dunno..."

Easter Bunny pointed at a door behind the bar. "Is that the stockroom?"

"Sure is. There's nothing to see, though. Whatever did this, they got everything." Punky didn't stop the Easter Bunny when he went in to look for himself. He simply waited for the large rabbit to come back.

"Nope," Easter Bunny shook his head.

"Told you."

* * *

Jack Frost, who had been partnered with Robert, decided to do some sleuthing of another sort. "So...how well do you know Alpha?"

Robert chuckled and flicked an ash from the end of his cigarette. "Dude, she's like my _favorite_ person to piss off! You get her mad enough, and you can't understand a word she says 'cause of that accent of hers. Sometimes she'll even get stuck speaking Gaelic. It's the _funniest_ damn thing!"

Jack didn't care for the swearing, but he had to laugh at that. "Isn't that dangerous, though? Provoking a Werewolf?"

"Yeah. You get a warning first, but make no mistake, she'll kick your ass." Robert rubbed his back as if in remembered pain. "Or throw you into a wall."

Jack knew Alpha to be a fairly gentle person, and even though he'd seen her fight he found that hard to believe. "She threw you into a _wall?_ "

"Yeah."

"What did you do?"

Robert laughed, and had the good manners to look a little ashamed of himself. "I deserved it. This one time, I followed her when she was up on the surface. It wasn't one of her nights to hunt, and she was in human form when she went up, so I was curious."

"Yeah, and?" Jack rolled his wrist impatiently.

"She was swimming." Robert puffed on his cigarette.

"So?" Jack still wasn't getting it.

"Sooo," Robert dropped the butt and ground it under the toe of his combat boot, "she doesn't own a bathing suit."

 _Now_ Jack was up to speed. "Ohhh. So, that's why she threw you into the wall? Because you caught her skinny dipping?"

"No," Robert put his hands in his pockets. "She did _that_ because I stole her clothes and she had to walk home naked."

Jack covered his mouth. He didn't want to laugh at that. "You _did_ deserve it."

"Hey, it's all good. She came home in her Wereform, and you can't even _see_ anything with all the fur. And she laughs now when she tells the story. Of course, she's laughing about the part where she threw me, not the other part..." Robert led him through the Vampire District to the Apothecary. "Why're you asking me about Alpha, anyway? Thinkin' about askin' her out?"

"What? No!" Jack did a double-take and nearly walked into a sign. He course corrected, ignoring Robert's bark of laughter, and explained. "But I _am_ trying to fix her up with someone."

The Vampire rolled his eyes. "Foooooorrrrget it. Alpha doesn't date."

"Come on, never?" Jack pushed.

"Nah..." Robert shook his head, turning serious now. "I knew her last mate a little. _Old_ as hell. Not immortal, or even long-lived like the Elves. This was...I guess, like, fifteen years ago. When he died, it just about killed her. _I_ almost cried at the funeral, and I didn't even like the guy. She was a _wreck._ "

 _Ouch...this will be trickier than I thought..._

Robert thought it over again, then rubbed his chin. "Then again...that doesn't mean she'd _never_ date again. Who're you trying to set her up with?"

Jack glanced around and waved Robert closer before whispering, "The Tooth Fairy."

Two minutes later, after Robert stopped rolling around on the ground and wiped the laughter tears from his eyes, he looked up to see Jack Frost standing over him, arms crossed and tapping his foot.

"I am _somewhat_ less than amused," the Winter Sprite scolded.

"Hey, look, you gotta admit, that one came outta left field." Robert got up and dusted himself off. "What makes you think she'll even _go_ for him? Or that he'll go for her?"

"C'mon, she's _pretty_...when she isn't walking around looking like a giant dog. Stop laughing. And he's got those broad shoulders going for him, amiright?" Jack grinned.

"Alpha doesn't care about looks," Robert told him. "If she did, I doubt she would've stayed with Brian when he got all old and stuff."

"Which brings me to my next point; _personality._ Those two clicked right from the beginning. They were friends in three seconds flat, from what I hear. You must've noticed it, right?" Jack nudged him.

"Mehhh...she _was_ pretty quick to defend him when I made fun of his wings..." Robert conceded. "Swatted me upside the head and told me to shut up. At least, I _think_ that's what 'haud yer wheesht' means..."

"Well, there ya go!" Jack smiled triumphantly, then got serious and held up a finger. "But you can't tell either one of them, you got it? I was just trying to get a better idea of how to go from here."

Robert gave an uncaring shrug. "If you don't want the secret to get out, you shouldn't go blabbing it around. This _could_ be fun to watch, though. He seems like a decent enough guy. And as much as Alpha and I pick at each other, we're still friends...kinda. If she ends up being happy with him, I _guess_ that'd be kinda cool."

"So, you'll keep it under your hat?"

Robert zipped his lips, made a locking motion, and mimed throwing away a key. They entered the Apothecary, and the place was a mess. "Whoa...it wasn't like that this morning."

There was a rustling sound near the stockroom, but by the time they got there it had stopped. Vampire and Sprite scanned the room, still as statues, listening for the sound to start again. It didn't.

Robert shook his head, picking his way through the room. "Wait until Alpha sees _this_. She's gonna _have_ and then _throw_ a cow..."

* * *

Alpha and Cupid went to investigate one of the three warehouses in The Hollow; the one on West Crypt Street. There were no solid plans; they were all just looking for things that stood out as unusual. This warehouse was every bit as decimated as the one they'd just left, and the place was huge.

"We could be searching all week, and still come up with nothin'." Cupid groused.

" _Tell_ me about it..." Alpha muttered. "We've been trying to figure out what's been causing this for weeks, but no luck."

Cupid fluttered along beside her, tiny compared to her, and he decided to grill her for information on her relationship with Tooth Fairy. "Y'know, I'm surprised you didn't tell Tooth Fairy about all this _ages_ ago."

"Why?" she asked, guardedly.

"No reason," Cupid shrugged. "You two just seem to hang out a lot. Woulda thought you'd be pretty close by now."

Alpha laid back her ears. She didn't know what Cupid was up to, but she just _knew_ he was up to something. "Why so curious?"

"Why so touchy?"

Alpha was beginning to think she'd been paired up with a nosy parker. She leapt over a fallen shelf and strode off towards the back of the building.

 _So, she's not gonna talk. We'll just see about that..._

Cupid caught up with her and decided to try some reverse psychology. "I guess it shouldn't surprise me. _He's_ not the most open person I know, either."

In spite of her previous resolution not to engage, Alpha turned and stared Cupid down. "Meaning?"

"Oh, he's friendly, don't get me wrong, but he keeps a lot to himself. Makes sense that _you_ would, too." Cupid was careful to stay out of reach, but the Werewolf made no move to grab him.

"First of all, we won't discuss him when he's not here to defend himself. Second of all, you don't know what you're talking about."

She turned to walk away, and Cupid saw that he'd literally raised her hackles.

"I'm just making friendly conversation." he grinned at her retreating back.

"Get stuffed, Cupid."

It took all of his willpower not to laugh.

Alpha stopped in her tracks and tilted her head, seemingly listening, and Cupid vaguely sensed a flare of Fairy magic. He didn't say anything until she resumed searching, and then it was just a simple, "What was that?"

"He's here."

"Tooth Fairy? Thought he wasn't comin'."

Alpha peeked under a counter, but found nothing of interest. "I told you all, he had something to take care of. He's finished."

Cupid shrugged. He had no idea what this was about, and he decided that he didn't care. He hovered near Alpha's shoulder again, and decided to take a risk. "You really like him, huh?"

"Aye, we're friends," she said dismissively as she ambled in another direction.

" _Just_ that?"

Alpha sighed heavily and turned to face him. "What are you doing?"

" _Moi?_ " Cupid pointed innocently at himself.

" _Oui, vous._ " Alpha put her hands on her hips. "Look, I know you're the 'god of love', but I'll thank ye tae keep yer button nose oot o' me love life, or lack thereof. If it happens, it happens. But I'm no' lookin' for it."

Cupid shrugged again and flew off to look elsewhere. Now he knew he had her pegged! He thought Tooth Fairy was interested in her before, and now he was sure that she was interested in him as well. Knowing when to back off, Cupid let the matter drop.

Just then, they heard a scuttling sound near the front register. Alpha bolted for it, but whatever it was, it escaped through a hole in the floor before she could grab it.

Cupid hovered above her, smirking at her muttered curse. "A rat?"

"No," Alpha shook her head. "doesnae smell like a rat."

"What _does_ it smell like?"

"I don't know...I've never smelled anything like it. Maybe...maybe the stink from the compost heap and the rotten food in the broken freezers covered it up. This is something _new..._ "

* * *

Tooth Fairy spotted Sandman and Omen napping on a random porch, and he simply moved on. He knew that they would be safe there, and he saw no point in waking Sandman if the guy would just nod off again five minutes later.

After finding nothing of interest, Tooth Fairy flew towards the ruins of the mansion, unsure what drew him to it, but unable to banish the nagging suspicion that whatever was going on might have something to do with that place. His heart pounded as he got closer, and he very nearly turned back. Then he spotted tiny shapes scuttling about in the shadows. At first, he thought they were rats. Then, upon closer inspection, he realized what they were and everything snapped into place. "Hoo boy, this ain't good..."

* * *

"Whew...do you smell that?" Santa waved a hand in front of his nose.

James shook his head. "I don't smell anything. Literally. I have no scent receptors."

"Right..." Santa took a small flashlight from his tool belt and shone it underneath the freezer. "Do you think a tomato rolled under there and went bad?"

"It's possible," the Skeleton shrugged, "or maybe it's a dead mouse. That happens from time to time."

Santa made a face, then wedged himself between the freezers.

"Uhh...Santa? What are you doing?" James asked.

"Gonna have a look at where they're plugged in. Maybe the plugs got dislodged somehow, and...whoa." Santa came back out. "That's no dead mouse...but it's a dead _something._ "

"What do you mean?" James looked alarmed, and his bones rattled again.

"Yeah," Santa put his flashlight away. "Whatever it was, it chewed through the power cords and managed to electrocute itself. I think it's some kind of animal."

Mother Nature and Father Time, who were coming back up with Pearl, overheard this last part and asked Santa to repeat himself. "Santa, can you bring it to me?"

"No," Santa shook his head. "I could see it, but I couldn't reach it. My belly's too big to let me get in there."

James held out a bony hand. "Can I borrow the flashlight?" When Santa handed it over, the Skeleton slipped between the freezers. "...Uh-oh."

Santa frowned. "What?"

James came back out with the dead creature in his hand. "We have Gremlins..."

* * *

Mother Nature telepathically called everyone back to the warehouse, and most of the others were surprised when the Tooth Fairy joined them. Alpha greeted him with her usual hug, which he gladly returned, and she whispered in his ear, "I'm so proud of you."

He tried to hide his blush when he stepped back. Besides, there were more important matters at hand. "I know what's going on. I was flying over where the mansion was, and the place is just _swarming_ with-"

"Gremlins," Alpha nodded. "We know. Santa found a dead one behind one of the freezers."

Pearl was wide-eyed, but otherwise composed. "It's possible that all these Gremlins originated from one mated pair. We can get rid of them. The question is, how did they get in here in the first place?"

Alpha thoughtfully propped her fist under her muzzle, her ears tilting back but not quite flattening. "Hmm...maybe it's time we had a town meeting."

* * *

Several hours later, all of the residents of The Hollow had answered Alpha's call and gathered on Main Street for a conference of sorts. Alpha didn't have a podium, but she didn't need one. She stood on a porch, head and shoulders above most of the crowd, and addressed the group at large. "We have discovered the reason for our food shortage, and, more recently, our malfunctioning machinery. I just want to know who thought it would be a good idea to bring a _Gremlin_ into this place."

The crowd murmured, but no one stepped forward to take the blame, and this was pretty much what Alpha expected.

"As you know, Gremlins are not allowed here. While The Founders did many things wrong, this was one thing they got right. While not inherently malicious, Gremlins can't be reasoned with, and they will eat just about anything. And they will breed out of control, if conditions are right. _This is what has happened._ Now, I know that they're small and cute. They look a bit like kittens when they're young. This does _not_ mean-"

At that moment, a little Witch child who looked to be about six years old covered her face and burst into tears. Her parents, baffled by her sudden paroxysm, tried to get her to tell them what was wrong, but the child only continued to wail.

Alpha's head jerked in their direction, and her stern expression softened. "...I see."

Tooth Fairy thought he knew what had happened, too. His heart went out to the little girl. Gremlins _were_ cute when they were babies. Perhaps this girl had mistaken one or two of them for kittens and brought them back with her. But now Alpha had stepped down from the porch and was approaching the girl and her parents. Tooth Fairy watched her to see how she would handle it.

"Rose, Liam, might I have a word with your daughter?" Alpha asked, so quietly that the Council members barely heard her.

The child's parents gave their consent, but the child shook her head without uncovering her face. "No...no!"

Alpha got down on one knee in front of the girl. "Zoe?"

"I'm sorry... _I'm sorry!_ "

"You're _not_ in trouble, luv...I just want to ask you a question, okay?" Alpha said.

Zoe subsided into quiet hiccups and sniffles, and lowered her hands from her face.

Alpha gently took her hands. "Now, I want you to tell me the truth. I _won't_ be angry. Did you bring a Gremlin into The Hollow?"

Zoe nodded, lowering her head and beginning to sob again. Alpha gathered her close, and the girl's parents tried to apologize.

"It's all right," Alpha said, both to her and to them. "The important thing is, now we know what's been causing all the trouble, and now we can fix it. Zoe? Look at me, okay?"

Zoe did as she was told, and Alpha took out a hankie and dried her tears.

"It was an accident. A _mistake_. We _all_ make mistakes, right?"

"Uh-huh..." Now Zoe was calming down, relieved that she wasn't going to get into serious trouble because of this. "But they weren't _bad!_ They didn't _mean_ to be...They just got out, and..."

Zoe's mother, a Witch with teal skin and black hair, covered her mouth. "Oh dear...She mentioned finding some kittens last year. I thought she was talking about _actual kittens..._ "

Alpha nodded, turning back to Zoe. "All right, now, what have you learned from this?"

"No Gremlins..." the child mumbled.

"That's right. _No Gremlins._ Can I have a hug?" Alpha held out her arms, and when Zoe nodded she hugged her again. Then she stood up and raised her voice again. "And now we know how they got here. There's no need to mention it again. Let's get this sorted!"

"I found one!" A Sasquatch held up a squirming, spitting creature that sort of resembled a cross between a cat and a spider monkey. "What do you want me to do with it?"

Alpha sighed. "Just...take it topside, far from civilization, and get rid of it, please."

The Sasquatch began to turn away, but Alpha called him back. "Oh, Harry?"

"What?" he frowned.

"By 'get rid of it', I mean 'release it'. Don't _eat_ it."

Harry looked at the struggling creature he'd scruffed a minute ago, and curled his lip. "Wasn't gonna, but why not?"

Alpha flapped a dismissive hand and turned her back. "Well, if you _enjoy_ having a three-day bellyache, that's up to you."

Several of the people around them snickered, and the townsfolk dispersed to search for Gremlins.

Tooth Fairy beamed at Alpha when she came over. It was such a relief that this situation had a good outcome, and he was impressed with how she handled the revelation of how the Gremlins got inside. "Poor kid..."

"Aye..." Alpha folded her arms. "She never meant any real harm. Sort of like the Gremlins, really...Difference is, she can be reasoned with, and they can't. I just hope I didn't scare her..."

"Nawww," he shook his head. "I think she just felt bad. She seems okay now."

Indeed, Zoe was all smiles as she played with two of her friends.

"So...can I ask you something?" Alpha turned to him.

"Sure." He had a feeling he knew what she was going to ask.

"What changed your mind about coming here?"

Tooth Fairy gave a low, gravelly chuckle. "Oh, Bernard lit a fire under my butt and got me thinking."

"Aye?"

"Yeah..." he put his hands in his pockets and turned to face her. "I _wasn't_ ready before...but I am now. There are some things I have to face...and it's not gonna be easy. But I think, now, I _can._ "

Alpha nodded, then spotted Cupid smirking at them. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Have you noticed Cupid acting peculiar lately?"

"Peculiar for anyone, or peculiar for him?" Tooth Fairy deadpanned.

"For him. He was...y'know what, never mind..." She remembered the subject of Cupid's interrogation, and she wasn't ready to go there yet.

Tooth Fairy was confused, but he didn't press her. "Oookay."


	10. Chapter 10: Time In A Bottle

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note: __**Massive**_ _chapter ahead! This chapter length is hardly typical, and probably won't happen again. I'm also posting this chapter right after posting Chapter 9, because I don't believe in holding chapters hostage for the sake of reviews. Stress can have a negative impact on your physical health, and I wondered...how would this manifest in someone with magic? From November to February, TF has had a lot on his plate (And I can't seem to leave the poor guy alone). Even a Legendary Figure deserves to take a sick day or two. How can this happen if he has to work every night without fail? You'll see! There's an interesting, seldom-used loophole that comes into play. Alpha goes into 'mother hen mode', and TF doesn't seem to mind. He opens up quite a bit more, partly due to having a fever, and they grow a lot closer. Things are beginning to happen!_ _ **Trigger warning**_ _for anyone with emetophobia. I don't go into detail, but heads up. There are also a few adult themes, especially near the end of the chapter, but nothing serious. I try to keep things tasteful. ^^_

"Chapter 10: Time In A Bottle"

February 8th

After a long night's work and a six-hour snooze, Tooth Fairy got up, had a shower and a shave, and puttered around his small kitchen in search of something to eat. Nothing really appealed to him, though. It was past time to go grocery shopping, and there wasn't much in his house to eat. He considered ordering a pizza, but he had been eating a lot of that lately. In fact, his trash can was piled high with old pizza boxes. So, what else?

He dug around in his cabinets, and came up with a box of Lipton Cup-A-Soup. "No..." Tooth Fairy had grown to love certain human food brands over the years, and he tended to stock up on what he considered to be 'comfort food', but he preferred to have the soup when it was bitter cold out, and it was actually rather warm for late winter. He put it back, closed his cabinets, and folded his arms. "Hm..."

It wasn't even that he was _hungry._ This was simply the time that he usually ate lunch, and to be honest, he didn't really feel like eating. Emotionally he was doing well, so that wasn't it. He opened his fridge, and the first thing he saw was a carton of eggs. He imagined himself cracking a couple of them open, saw the slimy contents sloshing around in a bowl as he scrambled them in his mind's eye, and he quickly shut the fridge door. Maybe he wouldn't eat lunch today.

His cell phone rang, and he answered it without looking to see who was calling. "Yello?"

"Hey, you," Alpha greeted him.

"Oh, hi Alpha. What's up?" He leaned against his counter, unaware of the smile he now wore.

"Not much. Listen, we're Gremlin-free as of yesterday, and most of the hunters have chosen to come back, so I finally have a day to myself. I was wondering, if you're not busy, do ye want to come over to my place for lunch? I thought we could play a game, or something."

His stomach churned a little at the word 'lunch', but he _did_ enjoy their visits. He knew where she lived, of course; she had pointed out her house to him in passing the last time he visited The Hollow, but he had never been inside. Still, he didn't want to eat, and he decided that a little white lie never hurt anyone. "Well, I just ate..."

"Oh," she masked her disappointment, but not as well as she had hoped.

He continued, "But I _would_ like to come over, though. A game sounds like fun. Whaddaya got?"

"Umm...let's see. Chess, checkers...got a deck o' cards. I have Scrabble..."

Tooth Fairy found that he didn't really care what they played as long as he got to spend time with her, and he did enjoy one of the games she mentioned. "Scrabble's good."

"All right. What time do ye want to come over?" she asked.

Since she had invited him over for lunch, it stood to reason that she hadn't eaten yet. "I can be there in an hour. Give you time to grab a bite while I take care of a couple things here." he offered.

Take care of _what_ exactly? He supposed he could make sure his clothes and hair were in place, maybe brush his teeth again. No...no, just imagining the taste of toothpaste was off-putting at the moment. Maybe he was queasy because he _hadn't_ eaten anything. Still, it wasn't that bad, and he figured he would be fine after he'd been up for a while.

"All right, see you then!"

"Yep. Bye."

"Bye."

He put his cell away and went to rummage around for some saltine crackers.

* * *

Tooth Fairy nervously approached Alpha's front door, smoothing back his hair and trying to psych himself up. _Okay, relax...you hang out with her all the time. This is no big deal. Why are you so nervous now? C'mon, don't be a sap._

He took a deep breath, tapped out 'Shave and a Haircut', and then he winced. How corny could you get?!

Alpha opened the door, and warm yellow light caused him to squint a little. "Hey, Roy."

"Hey." She was in her human form, and this surprised him a little since she was 'in her element', but he didn't comment on it. What _really_ drew his attention was her T-shirt. It was blue, with the words 'Free Hugs' on it in blocky white letters. Her penchant for wearing funny T-shirts hadn't gone unnoticed, and his nervousness melted away as he grinned and pointed at her shirt. "Say, do _I_ get a hug?"

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a good squeeze, which he happily returned. "You _know_ you always get a hug! C'mon in."

He stepped inside, and he felt a twinge of sadness as he took in his surroundings. Alpha's home was tidy. In fact, it was neat as a pin. But it was also quite small, and she didn't seem to have much. Her bookshelf sagged under the weight of what was probably too many books, but there wasn't a speck of dust to be seen. Her bed budged up against the wall, and there was a table with two chairs, a sink, a stove, cupboards where she most likely kept her food, a wardrobe, and a door that might have led to a closet or a bathroom. There were a few prints hanging on the walls, one of which was Van Gogh's 'The Starry Night'.

Alpha caught his look, and colored a little. "I know, it's nothing fancy. I'm out more than I'm at home."

"Oh, no, it's...it's nice." he said lamely. Her house really _was_ nice. He simply felt bad that she didn't have more, because Heaven knew she deserved it.

She gave a sad little smile, but didn't contradict him. They could see right through each other, and in the end it didn't really matter. "So, we're here to play Scrabble. You want to sit down, and I'll get the game?"

"Sure," he sat on one of the wooden chairs, arching a bit in a stretch; his back was stiff.

Alpha set things up, and pretty soon they had a good game going. An hour passed, then another. When Tooth Fairy used up all seven of his letters, taking up a 'triple word score' square in the process, Alpha groaned playfully as she wrote his score down. "You're kickin' _m'butt..._ "

He chuckled, putting seven new tiles on his rack and leaning back in his chair. "I'm just glad I caught up. You had me over a barrel in the beginning."

"I blame it on all the Q's I keep getting," she grinned as she sorted her tiles. "I'm just glad we didn't end up clustered in one corner of the board. Now, _that's_ a pain."

"Yeah," he nodded, wondering if the temperature could fluctuate in The Hollow. He suddenly felt cold.

Alpha saw him shudder a bit and rub his arms, and she cocked her head in concern. "You feelin' all right?"

"Sure," he lied, and immediately wished he hadn't. They had been at this game for quite a while now, during the course of which he had come over all achy, and now his nausea had come back and was getting worse. "Why?"

"You just got a weird look on your face all of a sudden." She leaned forward with a frown.

Tooth Fairy tried to play it off, and turned his tile rack as if to keep her from seeing it. "I always look like this. You just want to peek at my tiles."

Alpha raised an eyebrow, but sat back and said nothing. She considered the Scrabble board, trying not to make it obvious that she was watching him, and finally she put down 'Qat', just to get rid of one of her Q's.

Tooth Fairy clenched his teeth as his body tried to shiver, and beads of cold sweat had broken out on his face. His cheeks had turned a vivid red, and the color stood out all the more as the rest of his face grew very pale. In fact, he was beginning to look rather _green._

Alpha didn't want to annoy him, but now she was positive that something was wrong and she put her pencil down. "All right, time out. Roy, what's the matter? You _really_ don't look so good."

He took a folded white hankie out of his pocket and dabbed at his face with a shaky hand as he finally conceded defeat. Saliva flooded his mouth, and he swallowed. His stomach clearly hated him. "I don't _feel_ so good, either."

Alpha leaned forward and put the back of her hand to his cheek before feeling his forehead, and her frown deepened. "Wow, you're _really_ warm. I think-"

She was about to say that she thought he should go home when he pressed his fist to his mouth. He gulped hard, then said in a tight voice, "Sorry, can I use your bathroom?"

Alpha pointed to the door and replied in a businesslike voice, "Right through there."

He crossed the room in three strides and shut the door behind him, and Alpha got a glass of water for him while he was violently ill. She wasn't phased by such things, but she had a feeling he would be embarrassed when he finally came out, and so he was.

"I am _so_ sorry..." he shook his head, not even trying to cover up his shivering now that the cat was out of the bag.

"Oh, you couldn't help it. Here," she offered the glass of water. "help ye get the taste out o' yer mouth."

"Thanks..." He accepted the glass, but his hands were shaking so badly that he spilled some on the floor, and she had to hold the glass steady so he could drink.

"Don't gulp it; small sips. There ye go...good..." She took back the glass when he was done with it. "Ah, Roy, why didn't ye _tell_ me you felt ill? You should be at home in bed."

"I didn't know..." he shook his head, sitting back down in his chair and hugging himself as he shivered. "I felt a little weird, but I didn't really feel _sick_. This just came on all of a sudden."

She knelt down beside his chair so that he wouldn't have to crane his neck to look up at her. "And yer wings just started glowin', what's up with tha'?"

Tooth Fairy's eyebrows shot up, and he turned his head to look. Sure enough, his wings glowed very faintly, pulsing bright and dim, bright and dim, in time with his heartbeat. He ran a hand through his hair and frowned at how damp it already was. _Now_ he knew what was going on. "Drills and scalers, that's just perfect..."

" _What?_ "

He saw how alarmed she was becoming, and he was rather unnerved himself. "My magic's in flux. It doesn't happen to us very often, but it usually comes on when we've had too much stress in a short time. Sorta mimics the symptoms of a stomach flu. Only had it twice before..."

"Is it serious?"

He wanted to tell her no, because generally it wasn't, but as with the flu there could be complications. The last time he felt this lousy was centuries ago. He had just become the Tooth Fairy after losing his mother, and his sister had been missing for about a month. It hadn't been serious then, but _now?_ Who could say? He shivered some more, and rested his head on the table as he grew woozy. "Probably not."

Alpha had a tendency to get a bit motherly towards people when they were sick, and now was no exception. "You need to go home."

He nodded. "Yeah...Alpha, can you do me a big favor?"

"Of course."

"I can't risk using magic right now. Can ya...would you please get me home?" He said all this without raising his head. He felt hot and cold at the same time, and as someone who was _very_ rarely ill, this scared him. There was no room in him for embarrassment now; he simply wanted... _what,_ exactly?

"Aye, nae problem. I've been there once, I can find it again." Alpha summoned a Fairy Ring right in the middle of her living room, and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "Here, can ye stand up?"

"I think so..." He forced himself to his feet, and wobbled as the floor seemed to tilt, but she adjusted her grip and wrapped her arm around his waist instead, draping his arm over her shoulders.

"Whoa! Easy...here, lean on me."

 _Now_ he protested. "No, I'm all _sweaty_..."

"I don't care. Ye think this's the first time I've done this? C'mon, let's get you home."

He shut his eyes as they stepped into the Ring, fervently praying that the trip wouldn't upset his stomach more than it already was, but it didn't. When they emerged in his living room, he knew immediately that he would never be able to get up his stairs. He was far too dizzy. He nodded towards the couch, and sat down heavily when she led him over to it. "Th-th-thanks..."

"Here, take your shoes off and lie down," Alpha pulled the afghan off the back of the couch as he did as he was told, and then she hesitated. "Wings covered or not?"

Instead of giving a verbal answer, he arranged the blanket himself. Soon he was all bundled up, wings and all, shivering uncontrollably.

Alpha knelt on the floor in front of the couch and touched his shoulder. "Can I get you anything?"

Her words barely filtered through his hazy brain, and he shook his head. "I don't know..."

Alpha scraped her teeth on her lower lip and glanced at the clock. It was getting near dinner time, and she knew that soon enough he would have to go to work. If he couldn't take time off to grieve, she didn't think he would get time off to recover from an illness, and this didn't feel right. Her anger surged beneath a cool exterior, but her hands gave her away. They glowed with a faint purple light, similar to the rare occasions when Tooth Fairy was extremely angry, and this got his attention.

Unfortunately, he misunderstood and became distraught. "I'm sorry..."

"Huh? For what?"

"You're _mad_ at me..."

" _What?_ " Alpha shook her head, and her hands immediately stopped glowing as she laid them on his arm. " _Nooo,_ nononono, it's not _you_ I'm mad at. Don't you think that for a second."

"Then..."

Alpha sighed, adjusting his blanket a little, mostly to keep her hands occupied. "I just think you should be able to take time off work to get well. It just doesn't seem _fair._ You can't fly like this!"

His pained expression cleared a little, and he shook his head. "Oh. Well...the last time my magic was in flux, Father Time did something weird."

His eyes drifted shut, and he didn't elaborate. She took out her phone. Her heart pounded as she braced herself for what she was about to do. Father Time intimidated her a little bit, and she was reluctant to contact him at all, but Tooth Fairy certainly wasn't up to it at the moment. "Should I call him?"

"I dunno..." he mumbled.

Alpha didn't like how confused he sounded. This decided it for her. She called Father Time's number and braced herself for...well, she hardly knew what!

Father Time's phone went to voicemail, but he called her back before she could try again. "Hello, Alpha. I'm a little surprised to hear from you. How is everything in The Hollow?"

Alpha tried to tune out the sound of her ill friend's chattering teeth. "Oh, everything's fine there, thanks. Um...but there _is_ a bit of a problem."

"Oh?"

"Well, it's Roy-I mean, 'Tooth Fairy'. He's not feelin' well at all. He said his magic is 'in flux', whatever that means, and I was hoping..." she trailed off as Tooth Fairy shifted on the couch behind her, and she looked back to see that he had curled up into a ball in an effort to get warm. "He just can't work right now. I was hoping that you would have a solution."

"Hold on for thirty-three seconds," Father Time said before speaking to someone else who was there with him.

Alpha thought she recognized Mother Nature's voice, and she wondered, not for the first time, if those two were an item. Not that she cared, but they seemed awfully close.

Father Time got back on the phone, exactly thirty-three seconds later, and said, "We'll be right there, as soon as you tell us where you are."

"Oh! We're at his house. In his living room." Alpha sagged against the front of the couch, glad to have the hard part over. Then she nearly jumped out of her skin when Mother Nature and Father Time appeared before them without warning. She put a hand to her chest and sighed. "Och, jumpstart m'heart..."

Tooth Fairy cracked one eye open, then nodded in commiseration. "Yeah, they like to do that..."

Mother Nature came forward and knelt down at the end of the couch, putting her hand on his forehead before clicking her tongue in sympathy. "Hmm, you're feverish. How are you feeling, Tooth Fairy?"

"Awful." he admitted.

"Are you achy?" she asked, and he nodded. "Nauseated?"

"Yeah...It's better now that I'm lying down, though." he mumbled.

"Mm-hmm. And I can see that you have the chills." Mother Nature nodded again and turned to Father Time. "Alpha's correct. He can't go out tonight. Possibly for the next several nights."

Alpha didn't quite understand. "So, what're ye goin' tae do?"

Mother Nature arose once more and went to stand near Father Time, who explained his plan. "I can't cast anything on him directly, but what I _can_ do is encapsulate his house in a sort of 'time bubble', if you will."

She blinked. "I'm sorry, a 'time bubble'? What's that?"

"Time will pass much more quickly inside of it. He will have the time he needs to recover, but for the rest of the world, only a few minutes will have gone by." said Father Time. "It's not something I do unless it's absolutely necessary. It's too easy and too tempting for people to abuse it, so aside from us...and now _you_...no one knows about it."

Alpha could understand why! Her anger spiked again when she remembered what the Tooth Fairy had gone through, was _still_ going through, and she thought that this would have been a useful little ability to bring into play. Then her anger faded as she thought about it again. It would be all too easy to fall into a pattern of wallowing in it and doing nothing, never moving on, and perhaps being forced to stay in the working world with everyone else was a _good_ thing. If nothing else, it let you come to terms with things a little more quickly. She nodded.

Mother Nature carefully observed Alpha's reaction to this, and saw how closely she was sitting to the Tooth Fairy. He really _was_ sicker this time than he had been the last time, and the nature goddess wasn't sure if it was a good idea to leave him on his own. She herself could stay (her duties wouldn't suffer if she made use of the time bubble), and she would have offered if it wasn't for a sudden notion she got. She could sense that Alpha's presence was a calming influence, and she had seen the Werewolf show him great tenderness more than once. Mother Nature turned to Father Time, winking with the eye that wasn't currently in their line of sight. "You know, I really don't think it's a good idea to leave him alone. Maybe I should stay, in case his condition gets worse."

Father Time caught on and hid a smile by stroking his beard. " _Someone_ should stay, but you're a busy woman."

Alpha folded her arms and gave them an annoyed look. Did they _honestly_ think she didn't know what they were doing? Poor Roy was oblivious at the moment, but she knew bad acting mixed with hint dropping when she saw it. Ignoring Mother Nature and Father Time, Alpha turned and put her hand on Tooth Fairy's arm again. "Hey...d'ye want me to stay with ye when he does the 'bubble thing'?"

Tooth Fairy opened his eyes and tried to focus his vision. Her words sank in, and he found himself hovering dangerously close to tears for no reason that he could think of, but he shook his head. "I don't wanna put you out more than I already have..."

Alpha smiled gently. "I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't prepared to do it. I want to help, if you'll let me." She waited, but he seemed torn. She asked him again. "Do you _want_ me to stay? I will."

He did. "Yeah..."

Alpha nodded. "All right, then."

Mother Nature chimed in. "You might want to pop back home and pack a few changes of clothing, just in case. This could play out like a twenty-four hour bug, or it could take a little longer. It depends on how healthy he was before this happened."

Tooth Fairy knew his health was good otherwise, but he didn't have the energy to say so. He closed his eyes, and he must have dozed, because the next thing he knew he was alone with Alpha and she was speaking to him. "Hm, wha'?"

"You're going to feel something cool on your forehead." she told him.

He felt her lay a cool, damp cloth on his forehead, and it was _heaven._ His nausea was subsiding for now, but he was shivery, achy, and his energy was gone. When the cloth grew uncomfortably warm, he felt her remove it and heard her dip it into a bowl and wring it out. Then the blessed coolness returned, and when he heard her whisper, 'There you go', he found himself beginning to get a bit weepy. Which was odd, because emotionally he felt fine! He put a hand over his face to hide it.

He was too late, though, and Alpha blinked once. "I...Are you crying?"

Tooth Fairy sniffled and shook his head. "Sorry...I'm not even sad, I dunno _what_ this is..."

Alpha gently smoothed back his hair. She had seen this happen a few times before while caring for various ill friends over the centuries; fevers could do weird things sometimes. "It's okay. You can cry if you need to."

He sniffled again, drying his face on the blanket. "No, I'm okay...I think it's the fever. I got like this the last time, too...but I was on my own back then, so it didn't matter." He remembered his last bout of magic flux, how the stress of his new job and his missing sister had gotten to him, and he sniffled a few more times. Okay, _now_ he was a little sad.

Alpha saw the subtle shift in his behavior, and she made a sympathetic face as she continued to stroke his hair. "Aww...you need a hug?" He nodded without uncovering his face, and she leaned over and hugged him as best she could, her kneeling on the floor and him lying on the couch. "It's okay...I know you don't feel good."

His mild tearful episode, if you could even call it that, didn't last any longer than this. When his hand slid down from his face, she realized that he'd fallen asleep. She decided to let him nap for a bit, knowing that he probably wouldn't remember it later on. While he slept, she occasionally refreshed his cool cloth and flipped through a book she found on his coffee table.

He woke up a few hours later and flung off the blanket with a huff. "Hot..."

Alpha saw that his clothes were soaked through with sweat, and she rifled through her overnight bag. She'd brought a thermometer with her, and now she held it out. "Here, I want to see where your fever's at."

"Your grammar stinks," he informed her, but he took the thermometer and stuck it in his mouth.

She ignored the comment and went into his kitchen to refill the water bowl and to get him some ice chips. When she came back, she saw him squinting at the thermometer as he tried to read it. "Here," she held out her hand, and he gave it to her. "Hm, one hundred and two. Do you have any ibuprofen?"

"No, I'm allergic to it. Um...can't think, hold on..." he massaged his forehead as if to prod his mind into action.

"Take yer time," she told him, putting the thermometer away and handing him the cool cloth, which he put on his forehead.

"I have Tylenol. It's in my medicine cabinet upstairs." he settled back down halfway between lying on his side and on his belly, accepting the ice chips and spooning one into his mouth before putting the mug carefully down on the floor. His wings idly moved back and forth, both in an effort to cool the blood that flowed through them and to create a little breeze on his neck.

"Mind if I go get it?"

"Have at it," he replied. "It's up the stairs, and you'll have to cut through my room to get to it. Right door; the left one's a closet." At this point, it was a little late to be shy about having her in his living space, and he wasn't sure if he could handle the stairs just yet. He watched her go up, and after a moment or two she came back down with the pills in her hand and a glass of water. He accepted them with a sigh. "Thanks... _Man,_ I feel disgusting...M'sorry you have to see me like this..."

Alpha resumed her seat in front of the couch, ignoring the armchair altogether. "Please, ye think I've never seen this kind o' thing before?"

"Not with _me_ you haven't..." he handed back the glass after swallowing the pills. "It's embarrassing..."

"Does it help that I don't think any less o' ye?" she asked, putting the glass on the coffee table.

"Kinda..." he closed his eyes, but he didn't feel like sleeping. "I just hate being all sweaty, y'know? I'm _roastin'_..."

"A warm bath might help with the fever," she said by way of conversation, but if his wide-eyed reaction was anything to go by, she might just as well have suggested that he strip naked and run through a crowded shopping mall.

" _No way._ I can't even make it up the steps, so..." he turned an interesting shade of red and didn't finish that sentence. There was no _way_ he was going to attempt a bath until he could do it on his own!

She hadn't meant to embarrass him, and she wasn't implying what he seemed to think, but she also thought he was being rather silly about it. "Ye think ye got somethin' I haven't seen?"

" _Forget_ it. _No._ End of discussion." He hid his burning face in the pillow. He knew it was just meant to be harmless teasing, but he doubted she knew how he felt about her, and he just couldn't let his mind go in that direction. Playful or not, he didn't find her joke at all amusing.

"Sorry." Alpha turned her back and retrieved the book she'd been reading. _Me and my big mouth..._

Thinking he had offended her with his tone, he sighed. "Sorry..."

"Relax." She told him. " _My_ fault, not yours. I shouldn't have said that. Sometimes I can't seem to help myself."

"Ehh..." he shrugged, relieved that they were still okay and that he didn't feel quite as hot as when he'd first woken up. Now that his embarrassment had mostly passed, he could _sort of_ see the humor in it, and he shook his head with a little smirk. "That's okay, I'll get ya back later."

Alpha heard his stomach growl, and she looked over her shoulder at it in disbelief. Was that a hunger rumble, or a sick rumble? "All right, there?"

He nodded and had another ice chip. "Yeah...lost my breakfast earlier."

"I saw some instant soup when I was in your kitchen. Ye think you can keep it down?" she asked.

Tooth Fairy hesitated, reluctant to try it, but his stomach growled again. "Guess there's one way to find out..."

Alpha got up and went into the kitchen, and Tooth Fairy sat up a little and idly stirred his ice chips. He hated being unable to do these things for himself! Still, there wasn't much he could do about it, and it kind of felt nice to be cared for. Nice...and rather awkward. Alpha didn't seem to mind doing it, but he felt sorry for inconveniencing her just the same.

 _Was_ he inconveniencing her? Technically, yes. But she'd almost seemed to fall into a routine, as if she'd done this before. It was reassuring in a way, to know that she knew what she was doing and that he would eventually be fine.

Before he was done pondering all this, Alpha returned and traded him his mug of ice chips for a mug of soup. "Thanks."

"Mm-hmm," she sat back down.

Now that he was sitting up, he saw a bucket stashed discreetly beside the couch, and he blushed. As he sipped slowly from his mug and his stomach behaved itself, he didn't think he would be needing it.

It was too quiet, though. He sipped again, then pointed at his TV. "Let's see what's on...oh, I forgot."

"What?"

"Well, the TV _will_ work because it runs on magic, not electricity, but we won't get any shows in here. Time's almost stopped for everyone outside, so..." He peered at his entertainment system, and was pleased to note that his vision had cleared a little bit. "Pity...there was supposed to be a game on today. Oh well...wanna watch a movie?"

"Sure," she got up and padded over to the DVD rack. "What do you want to watch?"

"I don't really care," he shrugged. "Anything. Well, not 'Rocky III'. It's a good movie, but there's this one scene..." This was already a cruddy day, and he didn't need to get himself sobbing on top of everything else! He usually wasn't emotional when things were normal, but the exception seemed to be the handful of times he was seriously ill. Every time he was sick in his life, he had cried at some point. Possibly because of the fevers, or maybe because Fairies got sick so infrequently that he never got used to feeling so bad. Or both. Whatever the reason, he couldn't help it when it happened. He thought he could remember getting weepy earlier, and Alpha giving him a hug and telling him it was okay, but that could have just been a fever dream and he didn't want to ask about it.

Alpha wasn't sure what he was talking about, having never seen 'Rocky III', and she didn't ask. "Hm...'The Princess Bride'? What's that about?"

"Oh," he reached across the gap and set his soup down on the coffee table, having eaten two thirds of it; his stomach had given him a silent warning, and he didn't want to eat anymore. "Kinda hard to explain. Why don't you pop it in and find out? I think you'll like it. You, uh...know how to work a DVD player, right?"

Alpha smirked at him as she got things set up. "I'm not _that_ out of touch. We have a sort of movie theater down below. Well...it's not _really_ a movie theater, it's more of a community center...a few rooms with TV setups, that kind o' thing. But you don't want to hear about that."

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked, bundling up again as the chills returned.

"Well, it's kind of boring, isn't it?" she asked as she sat in front of him again and handed him the remote.

"No, I think it's kinda cool." From what he had seen of The Hollow, he was impressed that the people there could make so much with so little. Then, seeming to notice for the first time where she was sitting, he frowned. "You don't have to sit on the _floor,_ you know. There's a chair over there."

"I'm fine here," she told him, then added, "unless you _want_ me to move."

"You can sit wherever you want," he shrugged, relieved that she wasn't sitting there because she felt some kind of obligation to watch over him. He really was grateful not to have to be alone this time around, though! In fact, he couldn't remember the last time someone had taken care of him like this. Certainly not since he was a small boy.

While Alpha watched the movie, the Tooth Fairy watched Alpha. He had seen 'The Princess Bride' more times than he cared to admit; it was one of his favorite movies. He preferred the humor and the interaction between Fezzik and Inigo to the love story between Buttercup and Westley, but now he wondered how Alpha would rate their relationship. By the time Buttercup said, 'I will never love again', Alpha rolled her eyes.

"What?" he asked.

"Hm?"

"Just wondering why you rolled your eyes. Penny for your thoughts?" he smiled, remembering the day she'd said that to him.

Alpha held up a finger as Buttercup made plans to marry a man she didn't love, then shook her head and paused the movie to answer him. "I'm just not buying into their love story. It's _obvious_ that he just wants her because she's pretty. She certainly isn't _nice_ to him. And she wants _him_ because he's handsome and he does things for her without question, hoping to get in good with her. That's infatuation, it's not love."

"Oh," Tooth Fairy frowned thoughtfully. "Then, what _is?_ "

"Well..." Alpha hadn't been expecting that, and she thought a moment before answering. "Okay, for one thing, looks don't last...at least, for most people they don't. People get old. And you'd think that after a while he'd get tired of being ordered around like...well, a dog."

She smirked and gestured at herself, and he smiled a little at her pun. He had to disagree with her, though. She wasn't a dog in _this_ form, and in her other form she was a _wolf._ He thought the distinction was very important. And he kept his thoughts to himself. "This might be a spoiler, but she gets pretty passive later on."

"That's worse."

He nodded; he had to agree with her there!

"If this was happening in the real world, they'd be in divorce court in ten years or less. And then," Alpha went on, warming up to the subject, "she decides to marry a man she doesn't even _like._ Is it for money? Power? _Boredom?_ I don't know, because it didn't say."

He nodded, then rubbed his belly a little; his stomach was feeling iffy again. "You didn't answer my question, though."

"What was...oh! Well, love can _start_ with infatuation, but not always. If it's goin' tae last, you have to be _friends._ Even when you're furious with each other, and bein' around the other person is _work,_ if you love'm you're willin' tae _do_ the work. And...never mind." Her accent grew a little thicker, as if the subject made her nervous.

Tooth Fairy listened like an attentive pupil. He knew she was speaking from experience, and he was fascinated to hear about it from someone who _had_ been lucky in love. "What?"

"Maybe I should get off my soapbox now." She realized she was rambling.

"No, I'm really interested. What were you gonna say?"

Alpha's mouth was suddenly dry, but she did as he asked. "Well...if ye'll pardon my bringing up the topic, it's not about goin' to _bed_ with someone. I mean...aye, that's an important part of it, but that can't be _all_ there is, or it's not goin' tae last. People spend a lot of time alluding to sex, makin' jokes about it, pursuing it and so on, but _very_ little time is devoted to the act itself. It's not just about making love, or what the other person can give ye. It's gettin' up with'm in the mornin'. Facin' the world as a united front. Havin' each other's backs. Forgivin' each other when ye louse things up. That kind o' thing."

Tooth Fairy shook his head sadly. "I wouldn't know about that."

"Oh, I find that hard to believe..." Alpha turned to face him more fully.

"Well, it's true. Women don't like me. Maybe they do as a friend, but not like _that._ " He avoided her gaze, and his stomach churned. He internally begged it to settle down again; he was trying to have a moment here!

She stared at him for a long time, to the point where he finally glanced up at her, then looked away again. _He's lonely,_ she realized. _Like me..._

"I think it's the girly wings, personally. The name doesn't help...neither does this mug I got." he pointed to his face.

"Well, they're missing out," Alpha told him. "And don't worry about your wings. I don't know the significance your people attach to their appearance, but the rest of you is very masculine. Just my opinion, but I think your wings make it stand out all the more."

"Aw, go on..." he waved that off, glad that he could blame his red face on his fever.

"I'm serious," she reached over and put a hand on his arm. "You're a good man. You're _kind_...you're _funny_...and you'd give someone the shirt off yer back if they needed it. You bein' so _down_ on yourself isn't really attractive, but y'know...you can work on that, eh?"

He roughly rubbed his eyes with a thumb and finger. "Guess so..."

She removed her hand from his arm and hit play, and they watched the movie in silence until Fezzik stepped forward and captured Buttercup. "Oi! Did he just do the Vulcan neck pinch?" She pointed at the screen.

"Yup," he smiled a little. Then he closed his eyes and settled his hand on his belly. His stomach gave him a big old 'screw you', and he did _not_ appreciate it. "Oh, no..."

"What's wrong?" Alpha looked over her shoulder at him. Her hand hovered near the bucket, some instinct telling her that she might want to grab it.

"Oh boy...gimme the bucket..."

He lost his soup a minute later.

* * *

It was back to ice chips again. Tooth Fairy wished he could melt into the couch cushions and just disappear. Alpha didn't seem phased by things at all, but that still didn't make it any less embarrassing. She wouldn't accept his apologies, and she gave many assurances that it was fine and that he couldn't help it. He simply shook his head and avoided eye contact. He was almost ready to cry from the shame and because he felt so lousy, but he managed to keep it in. At least she knew when to console and when to back off. Right now, she kept to herself and just watched the TV screen. Things were silent for so long that he was startled when Alpha burst out laughing at Buttercup flinging herself down the hill after Westley.

"Sorry," she apologized when he jumped.

He shrugged, smiling wearily. "It _is_ pretty funny..."

They watched the movie through to the end, saying very little. He had to grin when Alpha flung back her head and gave a belly laugh when the priest began his 'Mawwiage' speech. He loved to listen to her laugh!

"Not how you'd expect him to sound, huh?" he asked.

She shook her head, wiping laughter tears from her eyes. "Ohhh, my...Funny thing is, I know someone who talks like that! God forgive me, I know she can't help it, but...to hear that come out of _his_ mouth...You'd expect something impressive, and you get _that!_ Hahaha...Ah." She turned and pointed to his empty cup. "Need more ice chips?"

"Uh-uh," he shook his head and handed her the cup, which she set down on the coffee table, and he apologized again. "I'm _really_ sorry...I can't _believe_ I threw up in front of you."

"You wouldn't be the first person to do that." she told him.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," he grumped, but there was no energy behind it.

"Well," she shrugged as the movie began to finish up, "maybe I'll throw up in front of _you_ someday, how's that sound?"

"Sounds gross." he smirked. His stomach was holding strong so far.

"Heh...aye."

When the credits began, Alpha clapped her hands three times and nodded. "I really liked that. The couple seemed a little flat to me, but everything else was great."

"Toldja," he propped himself up on an elbow. "Got a favorite character?"

"I like Inigo and Fezzik," she replied, not seeing his pleased smile at this coincidence. "That rhyming game they got goin'."

"Heh, yeah...Y'know, Miracle Max kinda reminds me of Cupid." he rested his chin on his fist.

"Och, they could be cousins!" she laughed. "And the choreography for the sword fights was amazing."

"I didn't think you liked-" he began, then cut himself off when he realized he had broached a sensitive subject, but it was too late. His eyes widened in horror. "Oh, I...sorry."

She smiled a little. "The swords in the movie were rapiers, not claymores. And it's okay. You can ask."

But he didn't ask her. He just wanted to pass the time with a few nice movies, to help himself feel better and make sure she wasn't bored while she was there. He didn't want to dredge up their sad pasts. And yet, now that his mind was on that track, it kept going back to things said and done, things he couldn't take back.

He rested his head on the pillow and shut his eyes. Maybe if she couldn't see the sadness in them she wouldn't ask. And yet, a part of him _wanted_ her to ask. He occasionally alluded to Brinna, but he never really _talked_ about her, and it wasn't something he could just start on his own. Not yet.

Alpha mistook his melancholy for illness, and she put a hand on his forehead. "Still a bit feverish...How's yer tummy?"

"Rounder than I'd like, but feeling okay," he tried for a joke, but she didn't laugh. And she didn't ask. Finally, he sighed. "I was thinking."

"Hm? 'Bout what?" Alpha rested her arms on the side of the couch, her face not far from his.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "About her. About Brinna."

Alpha nodded slowly as comprehension dawned. "Do ye wanna talk?"

"I think so...but..." he shook his head. "Fevers kinda throw me outta whack, and I don't wanna go on a crying jag, y'know?"

Alpha nodded again and moved to get a little more comfortable; her feet were falling asleep. "You can cry if you need to. Grieving is a process. It doesnae go away overnight..."

 _That wasn't a fever dream..._

"I just..." he exhaled heavily and picked at the brocade on the throw pillow. He wondered if it had left an impression on his cheek, then decided he didn't care. "I just wish I coulda gotten out of my own head back then, y'know? Not out of my _mind,_ just out of my _head._ "

"Uh-huh." She knew what he meant.

"I wish I'd tried to see _her_ side of it...We _usually_ got along, believe it or not," he scooted back and sat up, partly to test his stomach, but mostly because he'd been lying in the same position for too long. His stomach seemed to handle it well enough, and he took this as a good sign. "We did everything together, y'know? Got each other in trouble...took the blame for each other sometimes. Heh...I remember one time, we went down to the marsh to catch frogs, and our mother was _furious_ when we came back all muddy and smelling like a peat bog. She's there, 'Whose idea was this?!' And we just pointed at each other."

He smiled, and she chuckled. Then he turned serious again.

"She was three years younger. But Fairies age so slowly, we might as well have been twins. I..." he shook his head. "Gosh, I don't even know where to go with this."

"Hm...you can just say whatever comes to mind," she told him. "I'll listen."

He nodded slowly, then shook his head. "This is hard..."

Alpha reached out and took his hand, saying nothing, just offering her silent support.

He licked his lips. "I didn't _want_ to be the Tooth Fairy. I _hated_ my name, I _still_ hate it. But she saw it as this...big, important thing. And it _is_. She wanted to be 'important', too. And she _was..._ she just couldn't _see_ it. That job...I didn't _want_ it. And she _did_. And..." His voice cracked and he put his free hand over his face and tried to turn away as tears began to stream down his cheeks. " _Dang it..._ "

"It's okay..." Alpha whispered, lightly rubbing the back of his hand. "It's okay..."

He sniffed hard, wiping his face with the heel of his hand, but the tears just kept flowing, and finally he just let them. His voice, however, was more or less steady. "When we lost our mom...that's when it really fell apart for us. She was the Tooth Fairy before me. It was always a woman before."

Alpha got up and sat on the edge of the couch, still holding his hand between hers.

"I should really look a lot younger than I do," he told her, "but the job's magic aged me up to how I look today. And that just pushed us further apart. I mean...aside from the smaller purple wings, I looked just like our _dad._ We'd just lost _him_ the previous year. And she...she couldn't stand the _sight_ of me..."

Alpha shook her head, still silent, just letting him talk.

"Just because I was born first, I lost my best friend..." His chin quivered, and he put a hand over his mouth to hide it. "And then I pushed her away when she tried to talk it out, because she'd hurt _me_ and I wanted to hurt her back...And then she left, and I really _did_ lose her..."

Alpha let go of his hand, but only so that she could wrap her arms around him. "Oh, Roy...she knew ye loved her..."

"But I can't remember the last time I _told_ her that...What does that _make_ me?" he sniffled, melting into the hug and letting himself be comforted.

"It makes you a flawed person, just like the rest of us...and that's _okay._ " she told him, rubbing his back just below his wings with one hand and holding his head to her shoulder with the other. She could feel the heat radiating off of him, and she wondered if it was safe to give him another dose of Tylenol. She didn't know if he threw the pills up earlier or not, and she decided not to risk it. "You made some mistakes...so did she...but that doesn't change the fact that you loved each other. And you both went through _so_ much before ye even had yer fight...of _course_ tempers would flare. I'd be surprised if they didn't."

He heaved a shuddering sigh, hugging back and thinking this over.

"You know what I think?"

He sniffled and shook his head, preferring to stay in the hug rather than sit back. "Uh-uh..."

"I think you've carried this burden of guilt around for so long that you don't know how to put it down," she whispered, then held him a little tighter when he hitched in a sharp sob. There was only one, though, and she went on. "That's something only _you_ can do...but I'm right here wi' ye. I know it hurts..."

There was another hitching breath, and he nodded against her shoulder. This was nothing like that night on the rooftop. There was sadness, but it was almost of a cleaner sort, and instead of buckling under its weight he simply bent. Alpha's presence meant more to him at that moment than he could ever find the words to express, but maybe he didn't have to. Maybe this was _okay_. And maybe it was _okay_ to love her, even if she'd never love him back. "You're an angel, you know that?"

"Och..." she smiled in spite of herself, still rubbing his back. "Never been called _that_ before..."

"You _are_..." He sat back and accepted the hankie she offered him. "I never felt like I could talk about this...not to anyone. Growing up, my father always drilled it into my head that men don't cry. Said it makes ya _weak._ I think...because of my wings, he thought he was looking out for me by saying that. But...there've been times when I just felt...so _heavy._ I don't think anyone ever...well...gave me permission, I guess you could say."

Alpha shook her head. What his father had done, however well-intentioned it might have been, could easily be called emotional abuse. She rubbed his arm as he used the handkerchief. "You don't _need_ permission. It's _okay_ to cry. It doesn't make ye any less of a man. _I_ certainly don't see you as being weak for it. If you prefer to do it in private, then that's perfectly fine, but this idea that 'men don't cry'...Lord, it's _so_ bloody toxic. Look what it's _done_ to ye..."

He sniffled a final time and nodded. She was _right._ Holding it in for centuries had only made him all the more unstable now, and he was only just getting back to normal. "You don't know what it means...just to have someone _listen._ There's Mother Nature, but...she's kind of our boss..."

Alpha nodded. "It's not easy, is it? Thinkin' you have to keep it all in."

He nodded, then looked at her. Something about what she said struck a chord, and he blinked. "Do _you_ ever feel like that?"

Alpha gave a noncommittal shrug. "To a point. It's not that I think folks won't _listen._ Or that I can't trust'm."

"Then..." he shook his head, worrying the handkerchief in his hands.

She frowned, trying to decide if it was right or wrong to let the focus shift from him. But he _had_ asked. She took a deep breath and sighed. Okay. "Over the years, I've sort of taken on the role of protector. First I was protectin' my family's secret...my second family, that is, my mate and my son. Then I was standing up to distract The Founders from taking things out on my people. And now...well, now I'm officially their leader. If the leader cracks, people get scared. I _can't_ show that side of myself to them. Even Punky, and he's probably the one I'm closest to there."

"But you can show it to _me,_ " he said. It was almost a question.

Alpha nodded. "I can _now._ Those two hurt us both...I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for them, and I'm not so sure that's a good thing. And I've seen the kind o' man ye are...After everything you've been through, you're _still_ a good man. If there's anyone I can confide in...it's _you_."

His fever wasn't as high as it had been before, but it was still high enough to impair his judgment. He leaned forward again, but instead of hugging her he rested his forehead against hers. He might have even been tempted to kiss her, but he needed to brush his teeth, and he still didn't trust himself to climb his stairs.

Then he realized what he was doing, what he was _thinking_. How could she ever see him as anything more than a friend? And here he was, doing something as intimate as _this_. And...she was _letting_ him? How confusing was _that?_ He pulled back, but she merely favored him with a soft smile and wiped a stray tear from his cheek. He lowered his eyes, wishing he hadn't been so bold. "Sorry..."

She cocked her head. "For what? You've done nothin' wrong..."

"...Nothing." He got comfortable again and closed his eyes. Maybe he just needed to sleep this off. "M'gonna take a nap."

"Okay," she adjusted his blanket as he began to shiver again. "Mind if I use your bathroom?"

"No, not at all. You know where it is."

* * *

When Tooth Fairy finally woke up, he had no idea how long he had been asleep. The clocks were nothing to go by, since they had all stopped the moment Father Time had sectioned the two of them off from the world. However long it had been, he felt somewhat rested, and he took a brief body inventory. He still felt weak and tired, but he was no longer sick to his stomach and his head ached less. He felt uncomfortably hot and disgustingly sweaty, and now the inevitable side effect of so much sweating was beginning to creep up on him. He needed a _bath._ He also needed to go.

Wait...where was Alpha?

Tooth Fairy turned his head this way and that, but he didn't see her anywhere. Then he heard a faint snore, and he looked down. Alpha lay on her belly in front of the couch, one arm tucked under her head and the other arm and the corresponding leg on that side flung out and resting underneath the coffee table. _Looks like_ _ **someone's**_ _a sprawler..._

He almost laughed when he saw that her wild hair had fallen across her face, puffing up with every exhale. The hem of her shirt had ridden up a little, exposing the small of her back, and this was somewhat interesting. But the 'funny' outweighed the 'interesting'. What he wouldn't give for a camera! Then he frowned. She had slept on the _floor._

"Ah, jeez...Alpha..." he whispered, laying a hand on her back and giving her a jiggle. "Aaaalllphaaaa..."

"Mmn...five more minutes..."

He shook her again, speaking a little louder this time. "Alpha...c'mon, wake up. Gotta tell ya something."

Remembering where she was and why, Alpha sat up and automatically tugged her shirt back into place, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "Oh...hey. You need anything?"

"Yeah," he sat up and tried in vain to smooth down his hair. "I need you to not sleep on the floor. You coulda slept in the recliner, or even crashed on my bed if you wanted."

"If I slept in your room, I wouldn't have heard you if you called me; I'm a deep sleeper. And I wouldn't feel right takin' yer bed. That's where _you_ should be." Alpha stretched, and her spine popped. He had a point; the floor wasn't the most comfortable place to nap. "Anyway, that was unintentional. I think I must've fallen asleep sitting up, then just kinda slid over sideways." She demonstrated with a hand gesture.

He smothered a laugh and threaded a lock of her hair through two of his fingers. "You sure looked funny, though. Your hair was in your face, and-"

"And I snore. I know." she smirked, then her expression softened. "You look better today...well, it's _still_ technically 'today', isn't it?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I feel a bit better, too. Umm...sorry, I gotta get up for a minute."

"Oh!" Alpha didn't need him to explain. He'd been on the couch for a good twelve hours, so it didn't take an Einstein to figure things out. She got up and moved, standing by in case he lost his balance.

He didn't. He went upstairs, and Alpha dug an apple out of her pack for herself when she heard the shower turn on. She turned the apple in her hands while he took care of business upstairs, but she didn't bite into it. She wondered if _he_ was hungry. Earlier, he hadn't been able to keep something as mild as chicken broth down, but if he felt well enough to climb the stairs he might be able to eat. She put her uneaten apple down and went to grab that box of saltines she'd spotted earlier.

She saw empty pizza boxes in his trash can, and frowned. There was very little food in the house, but it seemed that he frequently ordered out. Maybe he didn't like to cook. Or maybe he just sucked at it. She hoped it was one of those, and not something worth worrying about. She decided that she would ask him about it later.

Alpha was on her way back when there was a loud, house-shaking ' **thump!** ' from upstairs. Without thinking about whatever state of undress she might find him in, she dropped the box of crackers and bolted up the stairs, taking them two at a time. His bedroom door was closed, and she rapped on it sharply. "Are you all right?!"

No answer. She tried again, but he still didn't answer her, and she decided that she would act _now_ and ask forgiveness _later._

Fortunately, when Alpha tried the door, Tooth Fairy at least had his pajama bottoms on. Unfortunately, he lay unconscious on the floor. His wings, which had steadily glowed the whole time he was ill, still pulsed bright and dim in time with his heartbeat.

Alpha dropped to her knees beside him and rolled him over onto his back, being careful of his wings, and she cradled his head on her lap as she took his pulse. Finding it strong, Alpha sighed. It seemed he had merely fainted. "Roy? Come on...come on, open your eyes. Roy? Roy, luv, can ye hear me?"

Tooth Fairy eventually groaned softly and began to stir.

"You'll be all right...you'll be all right..." she repeated over and over until his eyes fluttered open, and she smiled with more relief that she would have thought possible. "Hey... _there_ you are. What _happened?_ "

He was shivering again, and he closed his eyes once more. "Dunno...just...getting dressed, and the room started spinning..."

"Ohh..." Alpha spotted his pajama top lying nearby, and she draped it over his torso for now to keep him warm. "When you feel up to it, let's get you into bed. Did ye hit your head when ye fell?"

"I don't think so..." By now, he realized where his head was resting, and he didn't know how to feel about it. What he _did_ know was that he was hot and cold again, and the floor was putting uncomfortable pressure on his wings. But her cool hand felt so nice on his forehead...

It took him a little while before he was sure he could risk sitting up without growing dizzy once more, and she helped him on with his pajama top. She noticed that there were two little slits in the back for his wings, but they were so cleverly made that they were hard to spot if you didn't know to look for them. When he was bundled up once more, she sat on the edge of his bed and shook her head. "Boy...when you get sick, you _really_ get sick, don't ye?"

Now that his head was a little clearer, he fully realized what had happened. His eyes widened. "Jeez, Alpha...what if I was still _naked?_ "

And now she'd seen him _shirtless_ as well!

"I wasn't thinkin' o' that..." she admitted, avoiding eye contact. "Ah was more worried I'd find ye wi' yer heid split open. Ye _really_ landed hard. Scared the daylights out o' me."

From the small portion of her face that he could see, he realized that she was even more rattled by this than she was letting on, and he slipped a hand out from under the blankets to clasp hers. "Sorry. _Hey_...it's okay, I'm _fine_..." He felt her squeeze back, but she was still looking away. "Scared me, too...I'm not really a fainter, y'know?"

She finally cracked a smile and faced him again. "Aye...And besides, I wouldn't have looked. Anyway...you feel better, now that you're in your bed?"

He let go of her hand and nodded, once more glad that a fever flush could cover a blush. It _was_ more comfortable here than the couch. "Yeah...thanks. Not just for getting me here, but...well, for everything. I dunno what I would've done if you hadn't been here..."

"You would've managed," she said truthfully, smoothing back his hair without really thinking about it. "But I'm glad I was here."

"Me too..." he closed his eyes with a deep sigh that was almost one of contentment. It really felt nice when she did that! Then his stomach growled loudly, and he wondered how long it had been since he had that soup. There was no way Alpha didn't hear that!

"You in the mood for somethin' to eat?" she asked him. "I didn't see much food in the kitchen, but I saw some eggs in your refrigerator, and the bread on the counter seems to be okay. I could fix you some scrambled eggs and toast, if you want. That should be easy on your stomach."

His stomach growled even louder, and that gnawing sensation was definitely hunger, not nausea. "Sure, thanks...that sounds great." he rubbed the back of his neck. "You have some, too, if you want. My kitchen's your kitchen."

"Hehe...I might eat in a bit. You want anything else while I'm down there?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head, and watched her leave the room. At the rate he was recovering, he would probably be back to normal in less than forty-eight hours. As awful as he felt before, as embarrassing as this had been at times, he almost wished his time alone with Alpha could last a bit longer. Not so that she could take care of him, because he really preferred to do for himself, but just so that he could _be_ here, with _her,_ where the outside world couldn't touch them.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily, muttering to himself, "I think I'm in trouble...If I didn't know his arrows didn't work on us, I'd be having a little talk with Cupid..."

* * *

Alpha leaned against the counter and waited for his toast to pop up. She couldn't let him see how badly his fall had upset her, but now she was taking deep breaths to center herself. She _knew_ she should have gone up with him, but she also knew he never would have allowed it. Of course, she would have looked the other way for the sake of his dignity, but she understood why it was a no-go for him. She, too, would have said no if their positions were reversed.

But the sound of him hitting the floor kept playing over and over in her mind, and so did the sight of him lying there, looking so helpless. What if he'd hit his head on the corner of his dresser? What if something had happened with his magic, causing something much more serious than a faint? And why did the thought fill her with a quiet sort of panic?

She knew why.

 _I love him. Heaven help me, I love him. How could this happen? I don't know if I can handle this again...I've buried three mates, and the last one nearly destroyed me. I don't want to be in love. But...how could I not love him? He's so sweet and kind...He's had to deal with so much, and he's still the nicest man I know. This...this didn't just happen. When did it sneak up on me? I'm not ready for this..._

What a pickle she was in...

Then the toaster popped, and she stifled a yelp before glaring at it and retrieving the slices. She put together the rest of his meal and got him a glass of water before heading back up.

* * *

He was able to keep his food down this time, and they passed the time with several games of gin rummy. Over the course of the 'day', the pulsing glow in his wings grew noticeably more faint. That 'night' he even felt well enough to get up and tend to his teeth. Going so long without brushing was unacceptable to him, and finally being able to do it was a great relief. He and Alpha stood side by side at his sink, brushing in companionable silence.

He broke the silence with a corny joke after spitting a mouthful of foam into the sink. "Y'know, I've never brushed my teeth with a woman before."

Alpha nearly choked on her toothpaste, hastily spat, and gave his arm a light smack with the back of her hand as she laughed with her face turned away. "See what you made me do?"

"Hehehe...sorry." He reached for the mouthwash right when she did, and he snatched his hand back as if burned when their fingers touched.

She took the mouthwash and snorted. "No, you're not."

"...No, I'm not." he agreed, smiling again as she handed him the bottle. He felt the chills looming, but he also felt like it wouldn't be as bad this time around. They rinsed, flossed, and washed their hands.

They still had no idea where she would sleep, and neither of them had brought it up yet. The couch was hardly ideal, and his recliner was old. The floor was out of the question.

He began shivering again as he reached for his shaving equipment, and Alpha pictured the damage that a straight razor and a pair of shaky hands could do. "Um...Roy, don't you think it'd be wise to hold off on that until you can keep yer hands steady?"

"Hm...Yeah...I probably should," he sighed, rubbing at his slight growth of a beard. He had started their ill-fated visit clean-shaven, but his facial hair grew in rather quickly, and nearly twenty-four hours had passed for them. His stubble itched. Still, it was better than slipping up and cutting himself. He gave a sudden, violent shiver and rubbed his arms. "Brrr!"

Alpha put her hands on his shoulders and turned him towards the door, managing to be playful and authoritative at the same time. "Bed."

"Bed," he agreed, ambling out and lying down again.

"Oh, do ye mind if I use your shower?" she called after him.

"No, go ahead. Linen closet's right by the tub." he replied as he burrowed under the blankets. He dozed a bit as the drone of her hair dryer whirred in the background, but opened his eyes again when he heard the door open. He peeked out from under the comforter. She was wearing a pair of light blue sweatpants and a black T-shirt that said 'Get oot ma hoose' in white text, and the tongue-in-cheek humor of a written-out Scottish accent wasn't lost on him. He snickered. "Nice shirt."

"Thanks." She sat at his desk, turning the chair to face him.

"Why didn't you pack PJ's?" He was curious, and he was pretty sure they'd reached a point where they could just ask each other these things.

"Don't got any," she shrugged.

"Then what do you... _oh._ " he rubbed his face as if to wipe away the red, and he heard her giggle at him.

"Aaand ye just answered yer own question, I think. This is fine for now." She stifled a yawn against her fist.

Since she didn't seem offended by that, he decided to try another question. And it was a valid question, because he didn't have a guest room. "Where do you wanna sleep? And don't say the floor. I'll feel bad."

Alpha considered for a moment. Was he offering in a roundabout way to share the bed? Not wanting to assume, and not sure if she wanted to do that anyway, she shrugged. "Ah dinnae ken."

He knew that this meant 'I don't know', and he also knew that her slipping into that mode of speech meant that she was probably just as nervous as he was about the idea. But what was there to be nervous about? He knew _he_ wouldn't try anything, and he hoped she knew that, too. Even if he thought she would allow it, he didn't feel well enough to entertain the thought. This wouldn't really be all that different from him sleeping on the couch and her sleeping on the floor in front of it. And she would have a softer place to rest, one that he hadn't perspired all over. Friends could share a bed without it being weird, couldn't they? And she _was_ his friend.

Finally she couldn't take the silence, and she gestured vaguely at the other side of his bed. "Were you offering..."

"Well..." he pushed the blanket all the way off his head, having warmed up a little. "It's up to you. I stay on my side, you stay on yours."

She chewed briefly at the inside of her cheek, then shrugged and stood up, walking around the foot of the bed and sitting on the other side with her back to him. "Well...wouldn't be the first time I bunked with a friend. You sure this isn't weird?"

"Heh...it's a _little_ weird. For both of us, I think. But you _know_ me. I won't..." he trailed off.

"I know. Neither will I."

"Cool."

"Good."

She sat there for another moment before settling down under the covers on her side of his bed as he turned out the light. It was still daylight outside, which felt a little strange for how long they'd been in the time bubble, but he had dark curtains to block out a good deal of it, and they were drawn.

"I _should_ warn you," Alpha piped up, "I travel a bit in my sleep. Not as bad as my friend Sarima, though. One time I woke up and her feet were in my face..."

He laughed, and the bed jiggled a bit. "I don't think _I_ move a lot, but then again, I'm not awake to see it."

"Mm...anyway, if I get in your space, just go ahead and push me back over. Probably won't even wake me." she turned so that she lay on her side, facing away. They would have been back to back, if they weren't so conscious of each other's boundaries. "Hey, Roy?"

"Yeah?"

"What's with all the pizza boxes?"

He was silent for a moment, then he sighed. "Those aren't new. This is embarrassing, but...they sat on my counter for over a month."

"Oh..."

"Yeah...I know how it sounds," he closed his eyes. "I'm not usually such a slob. For a while there, I just...didn't _care._ About anything...About myself."

"Mmm...I know that feeling..."

"It's not like that _now,_ " he continued. "I guess you're asking because of how bare the cupboards are, huh?"

"Thought _did_ cross my mind...and I know it's none of my business, but-"

"No," he gently interrupted, "I appreciate it. After all, _you're_ the one who brought me back."

She didn't know what to say to that, but she smiled.

"So, I finally got around to cleaning up in there. And I'm a little behind in a few things, so the shopping didn't get done this week. I plan on taking care of that as soon as I'm over this thing. So, you don't have to worry." he ritched around a little to get comfortable. As much as he'd slept earlier, he was still sleepy.

She grinned in the semi-darkness, getting comfortable in much the same way he had. "M'gonna worry anyway. S'kinda my thing."

"Heh heh...I noticed. Night, Alpha."

"Good night, Roy."

* * *

Tooth Fairy woke up first. During the 'night', he had turned over onto his other side. Alpha must have done the same, because they were almost nose to nose, and somehow each had ended up with an arm draped over the other. This was _far_ from unpleasant and it brought on a wave of desire, but he reluctantly disengaged himself, taking care not to wake her. He gently moved her arm from his waist and laid it on the mattress, untangled his legs from hers, then settled down to observe her after scooching back a bit.

She never looked this peaceful. When she wasn't cracking funnies she was serious, or sympathetic, or any number of other emotions. But he almost never saw her _at peace,_ and he thought the universe had done her wrong by heaping so much responsibility on her. This was the strongest woman he knew. And he knew that, for the most part, she could take it. But that didn't mean she should _have_ to.

Alpha sighed deeply. "I can feel your eyes on me. S'creepy to watch people sleep."

"I..." Realizing he was caught, and realizing she was right, he winced. "Sorry. I just woke up myself. Guess I'm still zoning out a little."

She opened her eyes and smiled to show that she wasn't really upset by this. "Your wings aren't glowing anymore. How do you feel?"

He thought about it, and he realized that, physically, he felt just fine. A little confused emotionally, but he could handle that, too. "Pretty good, actually. I think my magic's finally stable."

"Good..." Alpha sat up and ran a hand through her hair. It was wavy, and just sort of did whatever it wanted. After having slept on it, it was more wild than ever. "So..."

"So?"

"Did I move, or did you?" she smirked.

He must've woken her up when he shifted away from her. His mind flashed back to the moment he woke up and realized their limbs were intertwined, and he felt his face go bright red as his body responded against his will. Ah well, might as well just answer the question. He smiled sheepishly. "I think we _both_ did. Sorry."

Alpha shrugged good-naturedly and got out of bed. "I'll let you get dressed. I want to run a comb through this mop."

Tooth Fairy nodded and watched her leave the room. Then he got up and went into his bathroom for a very cold shower.

* * *

The moment they left Tooth Fairy's house, the time bubble 'popped' and they were back in synch with everyone else. There was time to grab a meal before he had to go to work, and since Tooth Fairy still hadn't gotten around to getting permission for Alpha to step foot in his town they went to their favorite haunt; the cafe in Elfsburg.

Cupid watched them from afar, his eyes narrowed in thought. He really should have bet _against_ Jack, but the god of love betting against _love?_ That just went against the grain. They hadn't really thought this bet through, though. All Jack had done was suggest to the Council that they send Alpha, but he hadn't told them why. _Cupid_ knew why. And he'd only entertained the idea because he was bored.

Now, watching from his perch on top of one of the table umbrellas, Cupid was certain that neither he nor Jack would end up having to embarrass themselves. In a way, it was a pity. On the other hand...maybe Jack was on to something. Dilated pupils, little touches to the arm from both sides, mirrored body language...her tucking her hair behind her ear and giving her head a flirtatious tilt...she even laughed at the guy's stupid jokes! Clearly, to her, they weren't stupid. He and Jack hadn't really had to _do_ anything, had they? _These two are in love...and I don't think they even know the other feels the same._

"Having fun?"

Jack Frost startled Cupid so badly that he fell off the umbrella, and Jack caught him. Cupid punched him in the shoulder and freed himself, fluttering out of reach. The courting couple remained oblivious.

"You dummy! You want 'em to know we're here?" Cupid hissed.

"Oh, chill...They're in la-la land."

"Yeah..." Cupid folded his arms and hovered near Jack's shoulder.

"Haha...aren't they _cute?_ " Jack grinned, then gasped and put a hand over his heart. "Awww, look, he's letting her have the last cookie!"

"I know. It's nauseating." Cupid snorted, but he was trying very hard to keep his face as uncaring as usual. "At least they're not feeding each other..."

"Then why are you smiling?" Jack pointed at Cupid's face.

"I'm _not._ "

"Ohhh, yes, you are. I see dimples!"

Cupid put a hand over his mouth and swatted at Jack with his bow. " _Cut it out._ "

They watched as Alpha and Tooth Fairy finished with their meal, hugged, and went their separate ways, then Cupid spoke again. "I think we should change the terms of our bet."

"Hm?"

"Yeah. If we're not betting _against_ each other, there's no point."

Jack nodded thoughtfully. He couldn't bet against Alpha and Tooth Fairy becoming a couple because it was his idea in the first place, and he understood why Cupid couldn't bet against them either. "So?"

"So..." Cupid settled down to sit on one of the tables. "How about this; we _both_ try to get these two together and keep 'em there. And if they ever break up...we _both_ gotta pay the piper."

"Hmm...okay." Jack extended a hand for a handshake, but Cupid snubbed it.

"All right, with that. Go freeze somethin', I got couples to unite."

 _Note:_ _TF and Alpha might have acknowledged their feelings, at least to themselves, but they're still figuring things out. Part of this chapter was inspired by real life experience. A few male family members of mine can get kind of emotional and clingy when they have a fever. My dad actually burst into tears once during a commercial that had a song from 'The Sound of Music' because it reminded him of his mom. She loved that movie. We just kinda passed him the tissue box and gave him a pat. XD Hope you enjoyed this!_


	11. Chapter 11: Tomfoolery

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _I thought these two deserved to have some fun! Also, Cupid runs into Alpha and TF 'by accident' and brings up Valentine's Day, which gets them a bit unsettled._

"Chapter 11: Tomfoolery"

February 10th

Tooth Fairy whistled to himself as he raided his closet for some casual human clothes to wear on his not-a-date with Alpha. Since their stroll through the park had come to a premature end before, they had decided to try it again.

He noticed that she always suggested activities that wouldn't involve him having to spend money on her; the Legendary Figures ate for free in Elfsburg, and you didn't have to pay to get into a public park. He sort of felt bad about this, because he would have liked to treat her once in a while, but he accurately guessed her reasons. She felt bad because The Hollow had no money to spend, and she didn't want their friendship to be one-sided in that regard. And that was all they _were._ Extremely _close_ friends, but friends nonetheless. If the lines weren't so blurred, though, it wouldn't be so confusing.

For now, free activities were just fine with him, but when he spotted his old bowling ball in the back of the closet he wondered if she might like to go bowling sometime. Actually, there was a _lot_ of junk stashed back there, stuff he hadn't thought of in years! "Hmm..."

Tooth Fairy knelt down and reached under the hanging curtains of clothing, pulling out an old lacquered wooden box. Inside was an assortment of old baseball cards (one of which was autographed by Babe Ruth himself), a joy buzzer that no longer worked, a few buttons, and an old monogrammed handkerchief. He took this out and stared at it.

Brinna had made him a set of these for his birthday one year, and this was the only one that remained. It was so old that he was reluctant to handle it at all for fear of damaging it. The embroidery was uneven and clumsy, but his initials were unmistakable. He smiled softly and laid it back in the box.

Then his smile became a smirk when he picked up the blue, plastic water pistol he had bought thirty or so years ago for April Fool's Day. He closed the box and shoved it back into his closet, and went to try out the water pistol to see if it still worked. He filled it at his bathroom sink and gave the mirror a squirt. After all these years, it still worked just fine. "Well, whaddaya know..."

He chuckled wickedly as he concealed the toy in his jacket. He knew that Alpha had a bit of a naughty sense of humor, and he also knew that she was good-natured about it when the joke was on _her._ Remembering her off-hand risqué remark from a couple days ago, the one that had made him blush like a schoolboy and hide his face in the throw pillow, he decided that the time had come. "Heh heh heh...I'm gonna get her..."

* * *

The park was cold this time of year. Alpha was still fine in her denim jacket, but Tooth Fairy's warm hug provided enough of a contrast that she shivered once when she stepped back again and the wind picked up. He wore a wide grin, one that she hadn't seen often, but one that she was beginning to see more and more frequently. "Well, _you're_ certainly cheerful today!"

"Why _wouldn't_ I be? I get to spend the afternoon with _you._ " Did she just _blush?_ He thought she did!

Alpha rolled her eyes, but linked her arm in his as they began to walk. His wings, unseen for the time being, fluttered in response to the welcome contact; she felt the breeze. She was so used to seeing his wings that she thought he didn't look quite right when they were invisible as they were now. "How was work last night?"

"Oh, it was fine. One kid almost spotted me, but I managed to get out in time." He tucked his free hand in his pocket, fingering the water pistol. No...not yet. This was nice.

"Lucky. What would happen if they _did_ spot you?" she asked.

"Ooh...well, first of all, they'd probably panic. Humans expect the Tooth Fairy to be..." He tried to think of a good way to put it, then decided to just gloss over it. "So, they'd see a big guy, a _stranger_ , in their room, and they'd get scared. _That's_ bad. And I'd get in trouble with Mother Nature for revealing myself to a human. _Also_ bad."

"Mmm..." she made a slight face. "Humans can be tricky to deal with anyway...They're about the only thing I'm afraid of. Cute when they're young, though."

" _You_ used to be one, right?" he pointed out.

"Aye," she nodded and dropped her gaze. "And if someone told me back then where I'd be today, I would've laughed and sent them on their way. The wee ones are open to magic and mystery and all those good things, but when they grow..."

"Mm-hmm," Tooth Fairy nodded in agreement. "Even the _good_ ones would be a danger to the magical community if they knew for sure it exists. I think that's why humans stop believing as they get older."

"It's sad, in a way..." she looked pensive.

"What is?" he cocked his head.

"That they have to give that up," she stopped speaking when a human family, parents and a child, walked close enough to hear their conversation. Both she and the Tooth Fairy reddened when they overheard the mother comment in what she probably thought was a quiet whisper about their apparent age difference. Alpha defiantly kept her arm looped in his, and lifted her chin a scant inch higher. _The nerve of that woman..._

The family passed, and Tooth Fairy was still red in the face. "Do I _really_ look that much older than you?"

Alpha rolled her eyes. "You're _two_ years older; that's nothing. And anyway, it's none of her business."

"Well, I don't _look_ two years older..." he muttered.

Alpha was furious with the woman who just might have ruined his day, but she kept it to herself. "Ye look just fine to me." And he did.

He snorted, unable to accept a compliment at the moment. "So, you're not at all bothered that she thought we were dating?"

"Are _you?_ "

Her question brought him up short, and in a major way. He actually stopped walking. His mouth became as dry as the Sahara Desert. She surely expected a response, but all he could manage to do was stammer a bit before giving up and closing his yap.

Alpha put her hands on her hips and faced him. "I don't give a toot in a high wind _what_ 'Princess Suburbia' with her 'can I speak to a manager' haircut thinks, and I don't see why _you_ should either. Here's some food for thought; they think we're both _human._ And they're wrong about that, too."

He finally cracked a smile. "You're somethin' else, you know that?"

"I know," she grinned, taking his arm again. "Look...there's no one else I'd rather be with right now. So, let's just enjoy our day."

What had she meant by 'Are _you_ ', though? This was going to gnaw at him for the rest of the day! Oh, he could just go ahead and _ask_ her, but if the answer wasn't what he was hoping for...No. Just no.

After a while, when their conversation still appeared to be clinically dead, Alpha spoke again. "I'm sorry."

He blinked. "For what?"

"People can be so ignorant sometimes." She could tell he was still brooding about it, and she was upset in turn, because he had seemed so _happy_ before.

"Yeah, well...anyway, what were we talking about before?" He looked over at her.

"Something about magic, and how humans stop believing in it..." she shrugged, not really wanting to continue that discussion. She changed the subject. "Silas was asking about you, y'know."

"Oh?" Tooth Fairy was surprised by that! "What about?"

"He mentioned your illness and wanted to know how you were feeling. I swear, I didn't breathe a word of it to him, but like I said before...sometimes he just knows things."

And this reminded Tooth Fairy of her comment, and his plan. He rubbed his mouth to hide a smirk. "Well, you can tell him I'm doing great now. I had a good nurse." He playfully nudged her.

Conversation picked up again as if it had never been interrupted, and they continued this way for about half an hour until Alpha thought she spotted a deer. She wandered off a few paces to get a better look, and Tooth Fairy saw his chance. His face split in a mischievous grin, and he squirted her in the back of the head with the water pistol. She whipped around, and he quickly pocketed it before she could see it.

"What was _that?_ " she put a hand to her hair.

"What was what?" he feigned innocence.

Her forehead creased. "It's...was it supposed to rain today?"

Tooth Fairy bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling, and he looked up at the gray sky. "Gee, I hope not."

"Huh..." She shook her head and turned back to peer through the trees.

Tooth Fairy's shoulders jiggled with silent laughter, and he got her again. This time, Alpha turned quickly enough to see him with his hand in his jacket pocket.

"Hey, what is this?" she frowned, though he could tell that she wasn't upset.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just standing here." he spread his arms in a wide shrug.

"Uh-huh..." Alpha narrowed her eyes as she turned her back again. She heard fabric rustling, and she spun around to face him again. This time, she caught him in the act. "Aha! Ack!"

He got her in the face this time, and the relief of letting out the guffaw he'd been holding in was unbelievable. " _Toldja_ I'd get ya back!"

She gaped at him in disbelief, then joined in and laughed with him...at least, until he squirted her three more times in succession, and she charged at him. "You're _bad!_ Give me that!"

"No!" he turned and bolted.

"If ye think ye can outrun me, ye're sadly mistaken!" she hollered as she poured on the steam. She was quite correct; he was fast as a flier, but on the ground he was pretty slow. She nearly bounced off of him when he gave up and turned, hiding the water pistol behind his back. "Give it!"

"No," he turned this way and that as she tried to dodge around him to get it, then squirted her in the face with a final jet of water before he held the water pistol up in the air and just out of reach. "Uh-uh!"

"It's _cold_ out here!" she half-whined. Then she saw that the seam in the armpit of his jacket had split, and this gave her an idea. "So, you're not goin' tae cooperate?"

"Nope!" he shook his head, still laughing a bit.

"Ye're _certain_ ye don't want to hand it over?" she smirked.

"Mm-mmm."

Her smirk stretched into a wicked grin. "All right, then..."

His smile fell as hers grew, and the next thing he knew she had wedged her fingers through the split in the fabric and was _tickling_ him. And he was very. _Very._ Ticklish! He snapped his arm down, but it was too late, and booming laughter rolled out of him as he tried to squirm away. She hooked her fingers on the fabric, and he couldn't break free without ripping his jacket.

" _Oh,_ no ye don't! You're stayin' _right_ here and takin' yer medicine like a good boy!" Alpha reached up with her other hand and tickled his neck, and he dropped the water pistol in the grass. She nudged it aside with her foot and gave him no mercy.

At least, not until he tickled _her_ , and he learned that she was just as ticklish as he was. The tickle fight continued until their faces were as red as tomatoes and both were gasping for air. Finally, Tooth Fairy managed to blurt out the word 'truce', and they sat down on the short winter grass to catch their breath.

"You fight dirty," he accused her when he could finally speak.

"Says the man who squirts people with a water pistol in the middle o' winter," she lightly pushed his shoulder.

"Hey, you have to admit, I got ya good!" he nudged back.

Alpha rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Ohhh...I haven't done that since...wow, I can't even remember!"

"Yeah," Tooth Fairy sighed, leaning his weight back on his hands. "I'm usually pretty 'hands off'."

She immediately lost her smile. "Oh, should I have not..."

He snorted. "Present company excluded. Hugs from friends are good. Just watch it with the tickling. I almost socked you in the eye with my elbow."

"No, ye didn't," she grinned. "I anticipated it."

"Heh..."

"So, where'd you get that thing, anyway?" she pointed to the discarded water pistol, which he seemed to be in no hurry to reclaim. "Looks pretty old."

"I dunno. Some store that went out of business ages ago." He scooted forward and took it, then made a show of emptying it into the grass before putting it away. "Got it for April Fool's Day."

"What's that?"

"You don't know what...oh." He turned towards her, sitting cross-legged. "It's the first day of April. Some people play jokes and pranks on each other. It can be fun, as long as it isn't taken too far."

"Huh...that _does_ sound like fun. Waaaiiiit...am I goin' tae have to keep an eye on you?" she narrowed her eyes.

Tooth Fairy just gave a coy smile and shrugged.

They both turned their heads at the sound of fluttering wings, and Tooth Fairy immediately seemed to be on the alert. When the source of the sound came into view, he glowered. "Cupid, are you _nuts?_ You'll be seen!"

"No, I won't. I never am." Cupid hovered above them.

Alpha looked up, turned beet red when she realized she could see up his toga, and hastily covered her face. "Cuuuupiiiid...move _that_ way a bit, will you?"

Cupid obliged, flying a bit lower. "What're you two up to?"

Tooth Fairy tightened his mouth in a disapproving frown. He didn't bother scolding Cupid, because he knew it would simply fall on deaf ears. "We _were_ having a private conversation."

"Do tell," Cupid grinned. Neither of them said a word, and he shrugged. "Anyway...it's almost Valentine's Day. You two got plans?"

Alpha and Tooth Fairy exchanged a look, then warily asked at the same time, "Why?"

"Just being curious. Plus, it's kinda my job to know what people are doing on _my own holiday._ Speaking of which, Alpha, what do you have in mind for Halloween?" Cupid addressed the still-blushing Werewolf.

"I'll let ye know as soon as I know," she replied.

"Well, you better get a move on. It's already February, and you only have until October." Cupid grinned smugly.

"I'm aware of it," she informed him, plucking a blade of grass and tearing it into hair-thin strips.

Cupid folded his arms. "You don't like me very much, do you?"

Tooth Fairy snorted.

Alpha raised an eyebrow. "I don't _hate_ you, but you haven't exactly endeared yourself."

Cupid shrugged, both accepting that and finding it rather amusing. "Fair point. So, no V-Day plans, then?"

Alpha and Tooth Fairy exchanged another look, and she replied. "Not currently."

Tooth Fairy had had enough. "Speaking of Valentine's Day, don't you have work to do? Those butts won't shoot themselves."

Alpha did a double-take, then covered her mouth with a 'snerk'. There was a pun or two to be made there, but things were awkward enough!

Cupid flew off without a word.

Tooth Fairy caught Alpha's eye and blushed. "Yeah, I know how that sounded. Shut up..."

"Hahaha!"

They waited to make sure Cupid was really gone (unknown to them, he was hiding nearby), and Alpha ventured to ask, "Roy, what's this 'Valentine's Day' thing all about, anyway?"

"Uhhh..." he shifted uncomfortably. "Well, it's...er...um...Y'know, I've never really celebrated it myself. Never had a reason to. Besides, these days it just seems to be an excuse for candy companies to make a buck."

"Oh."

Seeing that she was still a bit confused, he sighed. "It's for couples, basically. If you have someone, they're your valentine, and you do things with them on February fourteenth. Like...I dunno...go out to dinner, show each other you care...or so I hear."

His face was as red as a brick.

"Sorry if this is uncomfortable," she said, "It's just...up until now, it's all been about Halloween. Other holidays were banned. _Especially_ Christmas. So, we don't have a whole lot of information, and I was just curious."

"No," he shook his head. "It makes sense that you'd wanna know more. I just...don't have a lot of info to give ya."

"It's fine, I think I got it." She smiled, plucking another blade of grass and shredding it.

Tooth Fairy remembered the bowling ball in the back of his closet, and an idea came to him. "On the other hand...it's not just for couples. Kids exchange valentines...that is, they give each other little cards...and it just means they're sorta acknowledging each other as friends. And I hear that friends who don't have someone will sometimes do something fun, just so they don't feel so left out."

"That sounds nice," she nodded. She _had_ been wondering what the singletons would do on a day reserved for couples. She imagined that there were many lonely people on Valentine's Day, and this made her a bit sad. She knew all about loneliness, and she knew that he did, too.

Tooth Fairy hesitated, then seized his courage with both hands. "Hey, just for yuks, why don't _we_ do something?"

Alpha looked up at him and smiled. By now she had picked up on his interest, and even though she wasn't ready to dive right in, she liked this idea. There was no reason to rush. If it was meant to happen, it would. "Okay. What did ye have in mind?"

"Ever been bowling?"

She tossed aside the blade of grass and nudged his arm. "You _know_ I haven't.

He grinned. "You're gonna love it!"

Cupid left them at that point. _Attaboy...now, don't screw it up!_


	12. Chapter 12: Unsolicited Advice

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Robert decides to butt in where he doesn't belong. But is his advice really that bad? I haven't really gone into Robert's past or his dating life, and I probably won't delve too deeply in these matters, but I thought it would be fun (and/or funny) if he decided to give TF some pointers for getting out of the 'friendzone'! Just a little disclaimer, I wouldn't recommend that_ _ **anyone**_ _should do this, but Robert...is Robert. XD 'Marty Gots A Plan' by Kevin MacLeod for this one._

"Chapter 12: Unsolicited Advice"

February 13th

As Valentine's Day loomed right around the corner, neither Alpha nor the Tooth Fairy knew how nervous the other was becoming.

For Alpha's part, the implications of going out with a male friend on this particular holiday weren't lost on her, and she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted this to turn into. She didn't want to lead him on and end up hurting him somewhere down the line if some sort of deal breaker came up. There was still plenty about her that he did not know, and not all of it was pleasant. She still hadn't mentioned her two mates after Alexander, and she wasn't sure if that would matter to him or not. She also wasn't sure if it was too soon to pursue something with him, since he was just coming out of such a vulnerable state. Would acting on her interest do more harm than good?

She was in her human form as she came out of one of the movie rooms in the theater/community center, stuffing a used hankie back into her pocket as she took out her cell phone. All around her, small children were playing with the toys and games, or making up games of their own while a handful of adults supervised. There was a piercing cry, and someone called her from across the room. "What is it?"

A little Goblin boy answered, raising his voice to be heard above a five-year-old Witch's angry wails. "Alpha, Cynthia webbed Stella again!"

A little girl who looked like an amalgamation of a human child and a spider (while still managing to be cute and childlike) loudly shot back, "She was _askin'_ for it! She stole my blue crayon!"

"I'mmmm stuuuuuuck!"

Alpha saw that several other adults were already trying to untangle Stella, but she set her phone down and went over to deliver a mild scolding. "Cynthia, you _know_ you're not supposed to do that."

"But she _stole_ my _crayon!_ "

"I diiiid noooooot!"

"Hush, lass, we'll have ye untangled in a minute. Cynthia, don't you go anywhere. I'll have the whole story out o' both of ye, so I will."

The Goblin boy grinned, showing a row of pointed teeth. "Ooooh, Cynthia's in trooouuuubllllleeeee!"

"Shut up, Tristan!" Cynthia clenched all six of her fists.

"Pbbbbt!"

"Cynthia, that isn't nice...You stop that, Tristan." Alpha told him, turning him gently towards the toys. "Mind yer P's and Q's and go play with the toys for now."

"Okay, Alpha," Tristan began to wander over to the toys, but he turned to make a face at Cynthia as soon as Alpha's back was turned.

"And none o' _that,_ either," Alpha warned without turning around, her voice was taking on a bit of an edge now; she meant business. The children immediately grew very well-behaved, which surprised her a little. This was unusual, and she'd only noticed this trend in the last six months or so.

Putting her phone down was a mistake.

* * *

Tooth Fairy's concerns were a little different. He wasn't sure what he wanted out of this either; in this, he and Alpha were on the same page. All he knew for sure was that he wanted to spend as much of his free time with her as possible, and this had come on rather quickly. He remembered what she'd said about the differences between infatuation and love, and he thought that, with her, he had experienced both feelings in rapid succession. He also thought that she was flirting back, but was that just playfulness on her part? Was this happening too fast? And if he made a real move too soon, would he scare her off?

It occurred to Tooth Fairy that, if they _were_ heading towards a romantic relationship, they had done a lot of things out of order. For one thing, they hadn't kissed, or even gone on a confirmed date, but there was a lot of chaste physical contact and they _had_ shared a bed. On the other hand, he had been sick, and neither of them had overtly expressed any romantic interest at the time. It was just as she had said; friends bunking together. The next morning notwithstanding...but that had been one-sided, he was pretty sure!

He was positive that she loved him; after all, they hugged all the time, and he noticed that she didn't seem to hug her other friends as tightly or as often. It was obvious. But he wasn't sure what kind of love it _was._ Would tomorrow's outing be a 'date-date', or just another one of their 'friendship dates'? Maybe he could turn it _into_ an actual date...but he still wasn't sure he was stable enough to deal with a rejection right now. He didn't want to go through that, and he didn't want to put her in a position where she might have to make him. This not knowing, though! It was driving him crazy.

Maybe he should ask Santa and Carol if they wanted to join them for some 'couples bowling', sort of to keep things on an even keel for now. Actually, that might not be such a bad idea! He thought that Alpha and Carol might get along famously, if they got to know each other well enough. They were both good women, and Alpha _had_ been instrumental in bringing Buddy home safe. Still, this would undoubtedly change the tone of their outing, and he didn't know if Alpha had her heart set on it just being the two of them or not. "Hm...better check with Alpha first..."

He took out his cell and dialed Alpha's number, but he got an unwelcome surprise.

"Hey, 'wingman', what's up?" A male voice greeted him.

"What?" Tooth Fairy checked to make sure he'd called the right number, and he had. He frowned, irritated. "Who's _this?_ Why do you have Alpha's phone?"

"Aw, you don't remember me? It's Robert! I just saw you less than two weeks ago."

Tooth Fairy closed his eyes and breathed in deeply through his nose. "My question still has not been answered here. Why do you have her phone?"

Robert laughed. "Well, you see, Alpha made a rookie mistake a few minutes ago. She had her phone out, probably to call or text _you,_ unless I miss my guess. Someone called her over, and instead of putting her phone in her pocket she set it down on a table. And I got it."

"Wellllllll," Tooth fairy drawled with exaggerated patience, "give it _back._ "

"Not so fast," Robert was obviously enjoying this. "I actually wanted to talk to _you,_ and I have no way to get in touch with you."

"Talk about what?" Tooth Fairy felt his irritation turning into resignation. He knew about Robert's little pranks, and he also knew that they were generally harmless.

"Come to The Hollow, and meet me on...hm. Let's say, my roof. You know, where you first eavesdropped on us. Oh, just so you know, I'mma turn off the phone and stash it somewhere you can't find it, so don't bother frisking me for it and bolting." There was a smile in his voice as he said this.

This was very nearly what Tooth Fairy was planning to do, and he felt his pulse throb in his temples as he began to grow angry. "Fine. You _do_ know I'm only doing this so she'll get her property back, right?"

"Duh, why do you think I said I'd hide it? I'm not your favorite person, so why would you listen to _me_ without a little incentive? Later, tater!" Robert ended the call.

" _Bicuspids..._ " Tooth Fairy hissed as he put his cell away. He saw no way out of this, so he mentally prepared himself for whatever nonsense was in store.

* * *

Robert's hair was green this time, and he held a lit cigarette between two fingers as the Tooth Fairy landed ten feet away from him on the roof.

"You know those things are terrible for you, right?" Tooth Fairy pointed at the smoke.

"Nah...I'm already undead, so what could it do to me?" Robert snuffed it out.

Done with mincing words, Tooth Fairy folded his arms and stood at his full height. "What do you want, Robert?"

"I wanted to ask about you and Alpha."

Tooth Fairy shook his head. "Nope."

"Then no phone."

There was a short stand-off where neither man said a word, then Tooth Fairy snorted and shook his head. "Specify."

"Okay, so, today I heard her talking to Punky, and she said she'll be gone for a good part of the day tomorrow. Said you two were going bowling. She didn't mention the holiday, but _come on._ We might not celebrate Valentine's Day here or know much about it, but most of us know what day it falls on. So, what _I_ wanna know is, is it a date or just a coincidence?" He lit up another smoke.

Tooth Fairy's face changed color, both from anger and embarrassment. "That's none of your business."

"I'm _making_ it my business. Because you've got no game whatsoever, and between you and me, I think she has a bit of a thing for ya." Robert blew smoke through his nostrils.

Curling his now-glowing hands into fists, Tooth Fairy glowered at the smirking Vampire. "The phone. Now."

"Uhhh, no." Robert gave the Tooth Fairy's glowing hands an almost sleepy look. "Gonna kick my ass, now?"

The Fairy's nostrils flared, but he mostly kept his cool. "This is involuntary, because I'm getting a bit hacked off now, but you're really trying my patience. Why are you being so nosy?"

Robert tapped ash off his cigarette. "Okay...a blind fool could see that you two have a thing for each other, even though you're both kinda dancing around the subject. I'mma be real with you here...you and your buddies did us a huge solid a couple weeks ago. Think of it as...the good you do coming back to you. I'm not messin' with ya this time. My big question to _you_ is, would you like to get out of the 'friendzone'?"

Tooth Fairy had angled his body a bit so that his feet pointed away from Robert, ready to take off at any moment. It was a shame about Alpha's phone, but he supposed she could have another one made. "Goodbye, Robert."

"You're making a big mistake," Robert dropped his smoke and crushed it. "I'm not asking you for information now; I'm offering advice. If your answer to my last question is 'yes', I've had experience there, and I can give you some pointers."

Tooth Fairy _knew_ he should just leave, maybe after hurling a few inventive insults, but a small voice in the back of his head compelled him to stay. It wasn't as if he had to _take_ Robert's advice. And if he honored Robert's terms, he might still get Alpha's phone back, and she wouldn't have to get another one. He sighed, turning fully towards Robert once more and folding his arms. "It is out of sheer, morbid curiosity that I'm still here. Make it quick."

 _Gotcha,_ Robert thought, grinning widely. "Okay. The thing you gotta know about Alpha is, if she's in it, she's _in_ it. And I mean for the long haul, sort of a 'till death do us part' kinda thing, so she's gonna wanna take things kinda slow, just to make sure."

 _I can't believe I'm listening to this dummy,_ Tooth Fairy scolded himself. Still, he filed away this information for later review. "Uh-huh..."

"But if you _are_ interested, you don't wanna wait around, all passive, waiting for _her_ to make a move. She very well might at some point, but you'll have a long wait. So, if you like her, you should tell her."

"Shouldn't it be _her_ choice?" Tooth Fairy asked, then mentally kicked himself. He wasn't supposed to be giving feedback!

"It'll _still_ be her choice, man. You'll just know a lot sooner, that's all." Robert wasn't teasing, as might have otherwise been expected.

Tooth Fairy snorted, a scenario flashing through his mind. Him confessing his feelings to Alpha, and her bursting into laughter, either because she isn't interested or because she thinks he's kidding. If that happened, it would _crush_ him! But even if her answer was no, she wouldn't do that...right? "Supposing she says no?"

"Yeah, that'll suck. But at least you'll know. And besides, she's turned down a couple guys since I first met her, and she was real nice about it. She's not one to step on the feels, bro."

 _'The feels'? Is that new slang, or something?_ Then Tooth Fairy's mouth ran away with him again. "Were you one of 'em?"

"Pff, nah," Robert waved a hand. "Not my type. I prefer blondes."

"'Kay..." Tooth Fairy shifted uncomfortably, wondering how long this would continue. "You done?"

"Not quite," Robert stepped a bit closer, tossing his hair out of his eyes. "Say things go well, and she likes ya back, she'll probably wanna kiss ya. Quick, think fast! Eyes open or shut?"

Tooth Fairy was glad of the red street lamps, because he felt quite sure that his face was nearly the same color. "Uhh, sh-shut?"

"Right!" Robert snapped his fingers, "Because the _last_ thing you want is for her to crack one eye open to peek, and have _you_ be there like _this!_ " He put a hand over his mouth and opened his eyes wide; Tooth Fairy actually snickered at that, and he continued. "You don't want her to think she's on a date with a serial killer."

Shaking his head, Tooth Fairy uncrossed his arms. So far, Robert's advice seemed both sound and logical. In fact, it was pretty much common sense...which he himself probably wouldn't have clued in on in the moment.

"Ever kissed a girl before?" Robert asked.

"None of your business."

Robert nodded. "I'll take that as a no. You're gonna want to avoid 'wet and sloppy'; it's gross if you start in with that."

Tooth Fairy turned to leave again. He was getting _really_ uncomfortable with this. And how would Alpha react if she knew about this?

"I know, that's not something you wanna talk about. That's all I was gonna say. But here's how you'll know if she wants to, because if I know her, kissing someone isn't something she'd just up and do." Robert said to Tooth Fairy's retreating back, and the man stopped again.

"Think about wrapping things up. And then tell me where her phone is," Tooth Fairy said, a trifle coldly.

"Right. What she'll probably do is, she'll move her face in close. Then she'll stop a few inches away, and her eyes will flick down to your mouth and then back up again. That's both an invitation to you, and a request for permission. Then it's your move. _Or..._ you can be the one to lean in, if you're feeling brave." Robert put his hand in his pocket, and Tooth Fairy thought he was going for another cigarette. Instead, he brought out Alpha's cell. He hadn't hidden it after all.

Tooth Fairy made a beeline for Robert, but the Vampire held up a hand.

"One more thing."

"What?" Tooth Fairy put his fists on his hips.

"Take _everything_ I said just now with a grain of salt. I'm not messing with you, but every girl's different, and I'm just going by what I've seen and heard from her in the past. Here." He handed over the phone.

Tooth Fairy stowed the phone safely in his pocket and stuck a finger in Robert's face. "Don't _ever_ do this again, you hear me?"

"I won't." Robert wasn't at all afraid; Tooth Fairy's hands weren't glowing, and it was obvious that the man had been taking mental notes in spite of himself. "Alpha isn't likely to make this mistake again, and this was a one-time thing. What you do with it is up to you."

Tooth Fairy shook his head, turned to go, then turned back to ask a question of his own. "You got a girlfriend?"

Robert clicked his tongue. "Nope."

"Then how do I know your advice is good?"

The Vampire walked to the edge of the roof and prepared to transform. "Hey, I said I'm good at _getting_ girls, I never said I was any good at _keeping_ them. And if you wanna find Alpha, she's at the theater. I'm heading there too, so you can just follow me. Or not. I don't care."

Tooth Fairy rubbed a hand down his face and gave a rumbling groan before fluttering off to return Alpha's property.

* * *

Tooth Fairy arrived a few minutes after Robert did, and he pointedly ignored the Vampire as he approached Alpha. It seemed like she'd just broken up a squabble between some of the children there, but all was well again...except he saw that her eyes were red. His smile immediately faded, and concern took over. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Alpha looked confused by his question as they exchanged their usual hug. "Why?"

He lowered his voice, not wanting to embarrass her by calling attention to it in a public setting. "Well, you look like you've either been crying or had a sneezing fit."

"Oh!" Alpha smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm fine, really. I just made a big mistake and watched 'Marley & Me'."

"Ooh..." Tooth Fairy winced in sympathy. He had enjoyed the movie, but that ending was a real punch to the gut! He had managed to keep it all in, but he definitely understood why she hadn't.

Robert smacked his own forehead and scolded her. "Oh, you _moron!_ "

This earned Robert a nasty look from Tooth Fairy, but since Alpha didn't seem to mind he kept his mouth shut.

"I _know!_ " she chuckled a bit sheepishly. "And I saw it once before, as well."

"Why do you _do_ that to yourself?" Robert shook his head.

"A challenge of sorts. I wanted to see if I could make it through without breaking. Obviously, I could not." Alpha shrugged and turned back to the Tooth Fairy. "What brings ye? Did you want to join us for a movie?"

"I just wanted to return this," Tooth Fairy held out her cell phone.

"Wh...how?" Alpha gave him a confused look, which became a frown when he pointed at Robert. She checked the phone to make sure none of the settings had been messed with, then put it away and turned to the Vampire. "Robert, how old are ye now?"

Robert, who didn't look a day over eighteen, gave a careless shrug. "Thirty-nine."

"Well, if ye want tae see a nice ripe forty, ye'll keep yer hands tae yerself," Alpha noticed once more that several of the children paused to look somewhat warily at her, and she wiped the angry look from her face.

Alpha and Tooth Fairy then moved off for some privacy, and she lowered her voice. "What was his game this time?"

Uh-oh.

Tooth Fairy rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, he was just being nosy. Listen, I wanted to ask you something."

"All right."

"Well...I was thinking," he hesitated, suddenly nervous once more, and for a different reason. Supposing she _did_ want it to be just the two of them tomorrow? Would his idea to invite Santa and Carol along be seen in a bad light? He realized he had stopped speaking when she frowned a little.

"You were thinking...?" she prompted.

His heart pounding, he babbled out, "Right! Sorry, um...I had this idea, and you can say no if you want to, but...would you want to double up with Santa and Carol tomorrow, if they wanna go? See, I've been bowling before, and I think I'm pretty good, and you haven't, and I don't wanna...I mean, not that you _wouldn't_ be quick to pick it up, that's not what I'm saying, but I thought we could compete as a team, and maybe...that is...uhhh...I'm lost. I dunno what I'm-"

Alpha smiled and put her hand over his mouth. Bless him, he was so _nervous_ all of a sudden! Poor fellow. In a way, it was kind of cute. In the background, Robert did a loud face-palm, but they didn't notice. "Take a breath, Roy."

She removed her hand, and he did so. "Sorry..."

"I think it sounds like fun."

"I...really?" he smiled, clearly relieved.

"Aye," she nodded, hooking her thumbs in the pockets of her blue jeans. "I've been wanting to get to know them a little better, and I just haven't had the time. Besides, I like the idea of playing on your team, instead of against ye. I just hope I won't make ye _lose!_ "

They both chuckled at this, and he shook his head. "I'm not worried about winning. The point is to have _fun,_ right?"

Robert chimed in. "Nah, winning totally rocks."

They shot him identical warning frowns, then Tooth Fairy got out his cell phone. "Well, great. I'll just go ahead and ask 'em. S'cuse me a minute." He gave her arm a light brush with his hand and moved off.

"All right, then," Alpha agreed, turning aside to pick up one of the toddlers who was tugging on her hand and holding up her arms to be held. "Hi there, Emma!"

Robert snickered as Tooth Fairy passed him. "Smooth as a gravel pit..."

"Buzz off..."


	13. Chapter 13: Within Striking Distance

"A Strange Bond"

 _(Long) Note:_ _And here we have a double date with girl talk, guy talk, and everything in between! Well...for one couple, it's a date. For the other? Hmm. Also, what happens when an entitled parent harasses Alpha and TF, putting her on the defensive?_

 _I just want to mention here that, even though I've portrayed TF as being rather emotional, as well as nervous and bumbling when his crush is on his mind, I don't generally see him that way. I wanted to explore how that character would process a huge loss, and how he could come back from that. I also have a headcanon that, for reasons beyond his control, his dating life up until now would have basically been nonexistent. Therefore, he really wouldn't know_ _ **how**_ _to react to a woman he romantically liked taking an interest in him, or even know the signs, so that's been fun to play with!_

 _TF should be more stable from here on in for the most part, having worked through a few of his issues. I hope you're enjoying this so far. It's been fun to write, even though I know most people would rather see Bernard featured in stories. ^^ I plan to have this story take place in the span of a year, but I'm also writing by the seat of my pants, just planning a few chapters ahead at a time. So, who knows!_

 _I haven't been bowling in years (and on that occasion, my own grandmother kicked my behind at it), so I'll mostly be focusing on character interactions, not the actual game._

"Chapter 13: Within Striking Distance"

February 14th

Alpha stood in her human form just outside of her house when the Tooth Fairy arrived. He found her replacing the light bulb in her seldom-used porch light, and even from a distance he could tell that she had done something different with her appearance. He was on foot this time, since he was a bit early; he didn't want to make it seem like he was hurrying her along, and he got a bit of a surprise when she identified him without turning to look.

"Hello, Roy."

He reached up to run a hand through his hair, but caught himself in time. "How'd you know it was me? I'm kind of early, so it could've been anyone."

Alpha tested the light before turning to face him, an enigmatic smirk on her lips. She saw that he was wearing human clothes, as she expected for an outing in a human town. He was dressed casually, but it was clear that he had put an extra effort into his appearance. His hair, which was normally well-groomed and in place anyway, looked like it'd had a slight trim. He was clean-shaven, as usual; he hadn't been skipping a day or two here and there like he had when he was depressed, but it seemed like he'd gotten an even closer shave than usual. There wasn't even a trace of a shadow. He was also carrying a bowling bag. "Your walk. And your aftershave; you're the only one I know who uses that particular scent. White sage, if I'm not mistaken."

"Oh," Tooth Fairy rubbed the back of his neck. Was her sense of smell that good, even when she appeared as a human? He decided it would be a weird thing to ask at the moment. "You like it?"

She smiled and came over for a hug, and he set his bowling ball down to welcome it. "Aye. You look nice today."

"Oh, thanks. Uh, so do you." He looked her up and down while trying not to be obvious about it. Like him, she wore casual clothing. Also like him, she'd put more of an effort into her appearance. Instead of her usual jeans and punny T-shirt, she wore a red v-neck blouse and a pair of black slacks. Her hair was up in a ponytail, probably to keep it from getting in her eyes today. The shorter strands that couldn't quite reach the hair tie framed her face in soft tendrils, which was an effect that he rather liked. Then she flashed him her hundred-watt smile. _No...not just 'nice'._ _ **Beautiful.**_

He realized he was staring, and cleared his throat. "I like what you did with your hair. It suits ya."

Alpha put a hand up to her hair as if to make sure it was still in place. "Thank you. Did you get a haircut?"

Tooth Fairy was surprised that she noticed, and he nodded. "Yeah, I just came from the barber. Too bad a shave and a haircut doesn't cost two bits anymore." He grinned.

She laughed at his little joke. "Very handsome. I like it."

 _Did she just say 'handsome'? I should compliment her back. Wait, she's complimenting_ _ **me**_ _back. That'd be awkward. Just say 'thank you', ya numbskull._ He stood a little taller, his posture more confident. "Thanks. We can leave whenever you're ready. I mean, there's no hurry. We're a bit early for our reservation at the bowling alley, but Santa said we can just show up whenever, so..."

"All right, I'll get my jacket." Alpha went inside, leaving the door open in case he wanted to come in, but he stayed where he was, mostly because he saw her jacket lying on her bed from where he was and he knew she wouldn't be long.

She put it on and came back out, closing and locking her door behind her, and she noticed the dental floss wrapped around his index finger. Tooth Fairy had explained his habit to her a few weeks ago when she'd asked about it, and he'd seemed embarrassed at the time, but she'd told him that it seemed harmless enough and that she was merely curious. So, he hadn't tried to break the habit. Alpha did know that he preferred not to attract any undue attention when posing as a human, though, so she gave a gentle reminder. "Roy?"

"Hm?"

"I think ye forgot something," she took his hand and held it up for him to see.

He looked at it, then knocked the heel of his other hand against his forehead when he saw what she meant. "Oh, right. Thanks."

He unwound it, but instead of throwing it away he tucked it into his pocket. Waste not!

Alpha caught a slight scent that she recognized. She occasionally got a faint whiff of it on him, and she asked him as she summoned a Fairy Ring to take them to the North Pole, "Where'd you find wintergreen-flavored dental floss? I didn't think they made that."

Tooth Fairy again wondered how good her sense of smell was in this form! "I've certainly never seen it on the shelves. No, it's a custom order. I just like wintergreen."

Alpha grinned cheekily at him. "I'm gonna start callin' ye 'Wintergreen' now."

He chuckled as the now-welcome warmth spread throughout his chest. Coming from her, he didn't at all mind the nickname. "You can."

He offered her his arm, which she took, and they stepped into the Ring.

* * *

Santa spotted Alpha and Tooth Fairy soon after they arrived, and he waved to get their attention. He was wearing blue jeans, an ugly Christmas sweater, and a pair of sneakers. "Hey, there you are. Come on in, there's been a bit of a delay."

Tooth Fairy looked concerned as he and Alpha followed Santa inside. "Everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah, everything's fine. Buddy's just going through a bit of separation anxiety." Santa explained as he led the way to the nursery.

Alpha's brow furrowed thoughtfully; she had some idea why. It was only a few months ago that The Founders had kidnapped him, so he probably didn't want to be away from his parents, even for a short time. She looked up at Tooth Fairy, who was looking sadly down at her.

Tooth Fairy wondered if he shouldn't have asked them to come. Poor kid! "If it's a problem, we can..."

But Santa shook his head. "No, he's not freaking out or anything. He's fine. He's just trying everything under the sun to keep his mom here with him. I told him we'd be back in a few hours, but..."

Tooth Fairy brightened now, relieved that he hadn't indirectly caused the boy to be upset.

"Aye," Alpha smiled, "Tellin' time won't come for awhile yet."

Santa gave a knowing laugh. "Yeah, but wait until he gets older. He'll know exactly what time it is, and try to use it to his advantage. Charlie did that, you did, I did, we _all_ did."

Tooth Fairy laughed softly. "What kid _hasn't_ said they gotta go to the bathroom as soon as they got their coat on?"

"I never did that," Alpha shrugged. "My siblings and I did other things, though."

Now Tooth Fairy couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease her. "You mean you're saying you _weren't_ a bunch of little angels?"

She gave a sharp 'hah' and shook her head. "Nooo, no, no, no. We were a pack of disobedient little _stinks!_ If one of us wasn't up to somethin', it was usually because they were runnin' interference for the others. We probably drove our poor parents to distraction!"

"Hahaha!" Tooth Fairy shook his head, remembering some of the hijinks he and Brinna got up to when they were young, and was pleasantly surprised that his mood didn't get much lower. Maybe he really _would_ be okay. "That sounds familiar. Brinna and I, we were _bad._ "

Santa grinned and pointed at the two of them. "I wonder how much coal you guys got from this place."

"I don't remember ever getting coal, but we probably _should_ have," admitted Tooth Fairy.

Alpha held up a finger. "Well, I _will_ say this; Scottish winters can get pretty cold, but our home was always toasty warm. Maybe our occasional naughtiness wasn't such a _bad_ thing."

"That's one way of looking at it," Santa chuckled as he opened the nursery door and led them in.

Buddy turned towards the sound, and his little face lit up as he ran to Santa. "Daddy!"

"Hey, Sport!" Santa picked him up. "Ready to spend a fun afternoon with Bernard?"

The Elf stood off to the side with Carol, and both of them seemed to be taking Buddy's antics in stride.

"No," was Buddy's calm, matter-of-fact response. Alpha smothered a chuckle, and this got the boy's attention. He waved at them with a cheerful grin. "Hi, Unca Mo'nader! Hi, lady I don't know!"

This got a laugh out of the grown-ups, and Santa passed Buddy over to the Tooth Fairy when the child reached out his arms to be held by one of his favorite 'uncles'. "Hiya, kiddo! What's all this I hear about you not wanting to stay with Bernard today? He loves ya."

"I _know,_ but I want Mama to stay..." Buddy pouted, but he wasn't as upset as he was pretending to be.

"Aw," Tooth Fairy played along. "Tell ya what. You be good for Bernard, and I'll win you a toy from the claw machine, how's that sound?"

At the promise of a new toy, Buddy was all smiles again. "Yeah!"

Alpha cocked her head, unsure how the name 'claw machine' fit something that provided toys to children. It brought to mind an image of an eldritch abomination that used toys as a lure, much like an anglerfish used a modified antenna to lure in prey, but surely this wasn't the case! "At the risk of appearing ignorant, what's a claw machine?"

Tooth Fairy tipped her a wink as he set Buddy down again. "I'll show ya when we get there."

Buddy looked up at Alpha, tugging fitfully at his shirttail. It seemed he couldn't stay still. "Who're you?"

"Buddy..." Carol chided gently, giving Alpha an apologetic smile.

Alpha smiled back. "It's okay." She knelt down to Buddy's level and introduced herself. "My name's Alpha. I'm a friend of theirs. I'm glad I finally get to meet ye! Your daddy talks about you a lot."

"Oh," Buddy nodded and looked between her and the Tooth Fairy. He hadn't missed the fact that they came in together, and he jumped to what was, to his mind, a logical conclusion. "You gonna marry him?"

Bernard snorted and covered his mouth, and all of the adults in the room thought the question to be amusing and cute, but Alpha and Tooth Fairy colored slightly and avoided looking at each other.

Santa's normally rosy cheeks darkened quite a bit as his shoulders shook. "Buddy...that's..."

"I haven't known him long enough to even be _thinking_ o' that," Alpha answered smoothly. "We're good friends, though."

Tooth Fairy looked at her out of the corner of his eye; her ambiguous answer got his attention, but it also deepened his blush, and he cleared his throat and looked away.

"Ohhh, okay. You wanna play?"

"Oh, luv, I can't. We have to go soon. But listen..." she leaned in and asked conspiratorially, "Have ye ever played 'Hot and Cold'?"

"Uh-uh." Buddy shook his head.

"Oh, it's so much fun! Bernard, do ye know the game?" Alpha looked up at the Elf, who was watching this interaction with great interest.

Bernard _did_ know the game. One person hid something while the other person covered their eyes, and then when the 'seeker' went to look for it the 'hider' would give hints. Hot if they got near the object, or cold if they moved away from it. It was a simple game, but he hadn't played it with Buddy (or anyone, really), and it was just the sort of game the child liked to play. "Yeah, it's a _lot_ of fun! It's just a shame I don't have anyone to play with..."

Buddy gasped and ran over to him. "I wanna play! I wanna play!"

"Okay, okay!" Bernard scooped him up and winked at the others, mouthing the word 'go'. The parents had already said their goodbyes several times, only to be sidetracked, and this was their chance to leave without causing an upset.

Santa and Carol quietly herded the other two out, listening for cries as they walked down the hall, but they heard none. Buddy was fine. Carol smiled and turned to Alpha and the Tooth Fairy. "Sorry about that. He's three. He blurts out all kinds of things these days."

"Och, don't worry about it," Alpha waved a hand. "No harm meant, no harm done."

* * *

Alpha hoped that she didn't look like a tourist when they arrived at the bowling alley and found their lanes, because there was just so much to take in! The sounds, the smells, the neon lights; everything. There was a place to get food, an arcade (unknown to her, it was a piddling little thing compared to how arcades used to be mere decades before), and screens hanging down from the ceiling near every lane.

Tooth Fairy saw her quizzical look as she stared up at these, and he happily explained their function to her. "See those? Your score gets displayed up there."

"Yes, but...how?" She saw the images change as people bowled, and she was too fascinated to be self-conscious.

He smiled. There was so much he didn't know about The Hollow, and now he saw that there was even more that Alpha didn't know about the surface world. "Things really _have_ changed since the last time I did this. We used to have to write down the score by hand. Now, look." He pointed. "It's tallied automatically. I'm not sure how it works, but that's one less thing we have to do for ourselves. Y'know, in a way, I feel like it almost cheapens things."

Santa clapped him on the shoulder as he and Carol went to change into their bowling shoes. "Time marches on, my friend! At least this way, no one can cheat."

Tooth Fairy drew himself up, feigning offense. "I do not cheat. C'mon, Alpha." He grinned to show that he was only kidding, in case it wasn't obvious, and they went off so that Alpha could acquire a pair of bowling shoes and a ball.

Santa watched them go, and he couldn't help but notice that the Tooth Fairy was guiding Alpha with a light hand on her back. He also saw that Alpha not only _allowed_ it, but seemed to _enjoy_ it. He looked over at his wife and asked, "Is it just me, or do those two seem kind of..."

Carol shook her head, following his gaze with a smile. "No, it's not just you. And it's nice to see him looking happy for a change. I've been worried about him."

Santa stroked his beard. "Yeah. Wouldn't it be funny if they _did_ end up getting married someday?"

"'Funny'?" Carol raised an eyebrow.

"Well, not funny 'ha-ha'." Santa unzipped his bowling bag and placed his bright red bowling ball on the rack. "You know what I mean."

Carol tied her shoes, and a moment later her powder blue bowling ball rested on the rack beside his. "I know their ears are probably burning right now."

When Alpha and Tooth Fairy came back, the four of them took a few practice shots. Tooth Fairy explained the rules to Alpha, and explained the etiquette of letting the person to your right go first. "Not everyone pays attention, though. Just keep an eye out for that."

"So, in that case, is it just whoever gets there first?" she asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Tooth Fairy picked up his cobalt blue bowling ball and made his approach to demonstrate a bowling stance for her. He adjusted his shoulders as he got ready, then rolled the ball down the alley where it struck the pins dead-center. Unfortunately, it was not a strike. "Ahhh, man...seven-ten split."

As he waited at the ball return, he pointed at the little black line he had stopped at before. "So, anyway, that right there is the foul line. You can't cross that. It'll count against you, and besides, they oil up the floor beyond that point. You don't wanna go butt-over-teakettle, 'cause that's just embarrassing."

"Good to know," she smiled, watched him reclaim his ball and roll it, then winced when it ended up in the gutter at the last minute. "Ooh, rotten luck..."

"Them's the breaks." he grinned back. He was enjoying this! "You wanna give it a try?"

Alpha picked up her forest green rental ball, not realizing that she'd grabbed a 16 pounder, but she seemed to have no trouble with it. "All right. So, I stand like this?"

Tooth Fairy eyed her stance with a critical eye, then moved in to correct her. "Not quite."

Alpha knew full well that her stance, while not perfect, was adequate; she wanted to see what he'd do. He stood behind her and adjusted the positioning of her arms, and she glanced over her shoulder at him with a too-innocent smile. "Anything else I should know?"

Tooth Fairy began to make eye contact, but something briefly drew his eyes downward. Her v-neck wasn't really low-cut, but it was still a bit lower than the collars of her T-shirts, and his mouth went dry when he realized that he could see her cleavage from this angle. _Oops._ He hastily looked back up at her face and shook his head. "Uh, no. You just roll the ball down the alley and hope for the best. Just try to stay centered, aim for the point of the triangle."

Alpha realized exactly what had just happened, and she hid a smile. It was funny how flustered he could get, but she also liked that he was enough of a gentleman not to look without permission once he noticed something like that. _He's a good one._ "Sounds easy enough."

Tooth Fairy backed off to give her room, and watched as she took her first practice shot. The heavy bowling ball traveled much faster than he expected it to, and it occurred to him that she must be stronger in this form than a normal human female of her size would be. The ball ended up in the gutter just before it reached the pins.

She snorted. "Huh. Famous last words."

At least she had a sense of humor about it. "It's fine, you can try again. Unless you get a strike...that is, knock down all the pins at once...you get to go twice."

"I know."

"Wait...did I tell you that before?"

"Ye did, yes." Alpha replied, then saw his mild embarrassment and put a hand on his arm. "But there's a bit of a learning curve, so I don't mind a few repeats in case I forget."

He nodded and watched her take her second shot. This time, she knocked down seven pins. "See? Nothing to it."

"Hey, are we ready yet?" Santa called from where he and Carol sat and waited. They had been ready for some time, but they waited patiently while class was in session.

Tooth Fairy looked at Alpha to see what she wanted to do. "Need another practice shot?"

She shook her head. "No thanks, I think I've got it." Now that she had a handle on what she was doing, she felt confident that she and Tooth Fairy would do well, whether they won or not.

" _We're_ ready," Tooth Fairy called back with an insolent grin. "But are _you?_ "

"Ahh, don't get cocky, Molinator," Santa wagged a finger. "I used to be on a bowling team before Charlie was born, and Carol here told me she won a trophy once."

Carol rolled her eyes and leaned across the table to whisper to Alpha, "Everyone in my league got one of those things just for finishing out the season. He's just posturing."

Alpha whispered back, "He's not the only one." She nodded towards Tooth Fairy, who had placed his hands on his hips and thrown his shoulders back in an unconscious effort to make himself look bigger. She'd seen this many times before in her lifetime; he was showing off.

"Well, I was once _one_ strike away from bowling a perfect game, so I'm not worried."

Santa also put his hands on his hips, playfully squaring off with his friend. "Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho...all right, how about this; the loser buys the snacks afterwards."

"Better check your wallet, 'Scott'. Hahaha! C'mon, Alpha, we're up first." He caught her smirking at him and did a double-take. "What?"

"Nothin'," she watched him get ready, then clapped when he got a strike.

"Yes!" Tooth Fairy pumped his fist and sat down, clearly proud of himself, but then something occurred to him. "Sorry, I really should have said 'ladies first', shouldn't I?"

Alpha lightly knocked her elbow against his. "It's cute that you think I'm a _lady._ "

Tooth Fairy hadn't expected that, and his jaw dropped. Then she put a hand under his chin and closed his mouth with a soft 'snap', and he had to laugh. _Okay, she's definitely flirting now..._

Santa took his turn, bowling left-handed, and he also got a strike.

Tooth Fairy hadn't noticed this before. "A leftie, huh?" He turned to Alpha. "Just wondering, can _you_ bowl left-handed?"

Alpha got up. "If I wanted to. I'm ambidextrous." But she continued to bowl right-handed and got a spare this time. She saw how confused Tooth Fairy seemed when she got back, and she tilted her head. "What?"

"Ambi-what?"

"I can do things with both hands," she explained, watching Carol out of the corner of her eye; Mrs. Claus got a gutter ball. "Well, most things. I can't knit left-handed."

Well, Tooth Fairy had no interest whatsoever in knitting, but he decided that he would have to test Alpha at some point to see if what she said was true. He nodded, then got up to take his turn when Carol bowled a second time and knocked down three pins.

The game went on for about half an hour, with Alpha and Tooth Fairy in the lead, but Santa and Carol weren't doing too badly themselves. Alpha and Tooth Fairy won the first game out of the three they planned on playing, and while the men engaged in some friendly competition with each other Carol and Alpha simply had fun watching them.

"Okay, you guys won this one, but it's best out of three, remember? We still have two more games to play." Santa held up two fingers. "Better get ready to eat crow."

"Not enough meat on those to be worth the trouble," Alpha joked.

"Heh," Tooth Fairy turned to her. "So, whaddaya think? Having fun so far?"

"Oh, aye. You've got quite an arm." She gave his bicep a light squeeze, grinning as she felt him purposely tense the muscle to make it firmer.

A small child was running around where he shouldn't have been, getting in front of the players, and the parents weren't doing much to rein him in. Alpha watched this with some trepidation, hoping that there wouldn't be an accident. If someone didn't see the boy in time, he could end up either being hit with a bowling ball or getting tripped over. Then there _was_ an accident, but not the kind she was afraid of. The boy tripped and fell on his face, and all four of them tensed. Alpha almost got up to go over, but she restrained herself. The couple to their right was getting up to check, and she assumed this was their son.

The boy picked something up off the ground, and his face lit up when he realized what it was. "Mommy! Daddy! My tooth came out! See?"

"Wow, look at that!" The mother smiled and took the tiny white object to look at it. "I guess the Tooth Fairy will be paying you a visit tonight. Come on, sit down."

Tooth Fairy hid a smile as Santa got up to take his turn.

Alpha nudged him, not bothering to hide her own smile, and whispered, "How often do you get to see it happen?"

"This is a first, believe it or not," he whispered back.

The boy made his way back over to them, and again his parents were more focused on what they were doing than they were on him. "Hey, mister, can I hold your bowling ball?"

Tooth Fairy, surprised at being addressed at all, blinked as he processed the question. "I dunno, it's pretty heavy. You might drop it."

Now the father took notice, but instead of calling his son back over he decided to argue. "He's six. He can't hurt the ball."

"S'not the ball I'm worried about," Tooth Fairy returned.

"Ah, let him hold it,' the father persisted. "Blue's his favorite color."

Alpha and Tooth Fairy exchanged a look, both of them rather stumped at the man's audacity. Tooth Fairy cleared his throat. "Well, I'm just worried he might drop it on his foot, or something."

Now the father was growing agitated, and he raised his voice. "He _won't._ Just let him hold it."

 _Entitled, much?_ Alpha bit her lip before interjecting. "Sir, if an accident happened, we'd feel terrible."

Tooth Fairy didn't want to cause a scene...or, rather, make this one worse than it was. Since the dad seemed to be one of _those_ parents, and since the kid hadn't insisted and seemed to have accepted no for an answer, he tried to offer a compromise. "I'll hold it, but you can check it out, how's that?"

The boy nodded, but the dad took a step closer; he was no match for Tooth Fairy in terms of physical strength, and he knew nothing about the guy's magical status, but he was clearly used to getting his way if he made a big enough stink. "Just let him hold the friggin' _ball!_ "

Alpha raised an eyebrow and mildly pointed out, "Or you could just let him hold yours."

"Excuse me, was I talking to you?"

Tooth Fairy glowered, but then he saw Alpha first turn pale and then red, and he realized that she was getting very angry. Certainly more so than he himself was. He hastily whispered in her ear, hoping to avoid a mishap, "Hide your hands before they start glowing. _Quick._ "

When she put her hands in her pockets, he sighed and said aloud, "Fine. Two hands, kiddo." Against his better judgment, he held out his bowling ball while Alpha silently fumed, and the boy shyly took it. The child actually seemed to be embarrassed by his father's behavior, young as he was; the mother was talking on her cell phone, oblivious to what was going on just at her left. Sure enough, the boy lost his grip, and Tooth Fairy quickly caught it.

"Wow...heavy!" the boy smiled.

"Toldja," Tooth Fairy forced a smile and sat back down. His heart was in his throat as he pictured what could have happened.

"There, cradle-robber, was that so hard?" The dad, still sore at having been told 'no' in the first place, made one final jab at him, this time to point out how much older he looked than his 'girlfriend'.

The words had the desired effect. Tooth Fairy glanced at Alpha, put his ball back on the rack, and quickly hid his hands in his pockets as the boy resumed his rambunctious play. Their double game was at a stand-still for the moment.

Alpha whispered in his ear. "Don't worry about it, it's over. It's all right."

"It's _not_ all right," he whispered back. "If I didn't catch it in time, the kid would've been hurt. I shouldn't have caved. And that guy shouldn't be talking to you that way."

"But you _did_ catch it in time," she soothed, "And I don't care what he says to me. Just try to ignore them, all right?"

He nodded, but he still seemed a bit put out. "Your turn..."

Alpha's hands weren't glowing anymore when she took them out of her pockets, and she gave his shoulder a soft rub before getting up to take her turn. This seemed to lift his spirits, and as the game progressed he forgot all about the couple to their right.

* * *

In the end, Alpha and Tooth Fairy won two games out of three, and Santa, true to his word, sprung for their dinner. He and Carol each ordered a slice of pizza and a soda. Tooth Fairy selected a hotdog with fries and a bottled water; he didn't drink soda. Alpha decided on a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a soda. Tooth Fairy didn't comment on this, unwilling to play 'sugar police' when they were there to have fun. Besides, he knew she took care of her teeth, and a little cheat once in a while wouldn't really cause any harm.

Alpha noticed that Tooth Fairy kept rubbing his right shoulder, but it seemed like he couldn't quite reach the spot he wanted. "All right, there?"

"Yeah, fine," he hissed through his teeth as he stretched too far and still couldn't reach. "Just a bit sore. I probably should've warmed up first."

She reached out, but stopped just short of touching him. "You mind?"

He shook his head, unsure what she planned on doing, but he trusted her.

Avoiding his invisible wing, she gently probed the muscles of his back and shoulder, and it was almost like pressing down on cement. "No wonder. You're tighter than a snare drum back here."

" _Ow..._ " he gritted his teeth when she touched a tender spot, nodded to acknowledge her murmured apology, then sighed as Alpha applied gentle pressure to the knot she found. It stung at first, stung _deep,_ and then the muscle gradually relaxed. It was still sore, but not nearly as much. "Ahh...Wow...Where'd you learn that?"

She removed her hands and sat back down. "Pearl taught me that one. Better?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Santa and Carol turned a blind eye to this, but of course they noticed. Before things could get awkward, Santa drummed on the table and changed the subject. "You know, the last time I went bowling, drive-in movie theaters were still around."

Tooth Fairy gamely joined in on the conversation. "I remember when those were _new_."

"I missed the boat, but I know what they were," Alpha chimed in. She could see by the way Santa's blue eyes glittered that he had a funny story to tell, and she leaned in to hear better over the noise in the place.

"I remember one time, me and three buddies of mine piled into one of their cars. I can't remember whose now. Anyway, we decided to go to the drive-in for some girl-watching. Burned rubber in a crowded drive-in, just so we could grab a spot next to a car with four girls inside. So, we get there, and does anybody wanna guess what we said?"

"What?" asked Tooth Fairy, already half-laughing as he anticipated something funny.

Santa, holding back laughter, snorted out, "'Don't look at 'em'."

All four of them cracked up at this, and when they wound down enough to speak again Alpha cut in. "Well, I can almost guarantee ye that the girls' conversation went a little somethin' like this. 'Here they come. There they are.'" She pointed at Carol, whose eyes widened as she pointed back, and they crowed in unison, "'Don't look at 'em'!"

Their uproarious laughter drew several curious stares, and Tooth Fairy slapped his hand down on the table. Alpha grabbed onto his arm and briefly leaned her head against him, hardly seeming to be conscious of it.

When Tooth Fairy finally caught his breath, he ate the last bite of his hotdog and wiped his mouth with a cheap paper napkin. He saw that Alpha had also finished eating, and the word 'buddies' jogged his memory. "Hey, that reminds me, I still have to win a toy for Buddy."

"You don't _have_ to," Santa told him, "We can just give him one from the workshop-"

Carol discreetly nudged him, having an idea that Tooth Fairy and Alpha might want to go off by themselves for a few minutes, and Santa took the hint. "That's very nice of you, 'Roy'. Thank you."

Tooth Fairy knew that she was calling him that in public to avoid blowing his cover, but he smiled anyway. "C'mon, Alpha, I'll show you what all the fuss is about."

They walked off together, and Santa and Carol watched as he explained the claw machine to Alpha. They stood a little closer than was strictly necessary, clearly at ease with each other and happy to share the same space.

Santa put an arm around his wife. "This turned out to be a lot of fun. I almost forgot what 'civilian life' was like."

"Mm," she sighed, leaning her head against him. "It was nice to revisit. I don't want to go back, though." A couple minutes later, she pointed. "Oh, look, he won something!"

Then she and Santa sat up straight. "Uh-oh."

* * *

Tooth Fairy stood with his arm draped loosely around Alpha's shoulders as he pointed at a stuffed Care Bear doll. "Okay, that's wedged in a corner. We won't be able to get that."

"Uh-huh. That one's right on top." She pointed to a stuffed banana with a cartoon face. "Ugly as sin, though."

He snickered, and his unseen wings fluttered once. "Yeah. Look, though; the toy to the left is right up against it, and that one's lower half is buried pretty good. It'll get in the way, and we'll get nothing."

"Sooo...which toy are you going for?"

He rubbed his chin, then pointed. "I'm gonna get that bunny over there. Watch this." He deposited some coins, and within three tries he managed to win the toy. "Aha! Got it!"

Alpha grinned as he held it up for her to see. "He'll love it. Here, let's move to let these kids have a turn."

There weren't any kids in line, but three of them were watching patiently from the side, and Tooth Fairy decided to be nice and added a few extra coins to the machine. "Freebies," he explained.

"Thank you!" the kids chorused as they crowded around to take turns.

Tooth Fairy nodded, feeling pretty good at the moment, but as they moved off to rejoin Santa and Carol they found themselves being confronted by the same dad from before. The man wore a friendly smile now, but Tooth Fairy didn't trust this, and neither did Alpha.

"Hey, not bad."

Tooth Fairy's response was polite, but curt. "Thanks. Excuse us." He tried to move around him with Alpha, but the man swerved to block their path.

"Hang on a minute, what's a big guy like you want with a stuffed bunny?"

Tooth Fairy made the mistake of explaining himself. "It's not for me, it's for a friend's kid. I promised I'd win him something. Now, please let us pass."

The man didn't budge. "You can just win him another one, can't you? It's my son's favorite color, and he had his eye on it before."

Alpha decided she'd had enough, and she stared the man down. "Sir, that's beside the point. Please leave us alone."

The man narrowed his eyes at her in scorn. "No one's talking to _you,_ bitch!"

Tooth Fairy's face immediately turned stony. "What did you say?" He didn't raise his voice at all, but he didn't have to. A line had been crossed.

Alpha gently took his arm. "Well, technically, he's not wrong."

Santa called from across the room, "Hey, Roy! Over here, I'm open!"

The Tooth Fairy saw Santa standing with his hands out to catch, and his ruffled feathers settled a bit. He cocked his arm back and threw the toy like a football, which Santa easily caught.

"Oh, nice," the boy's father had the nerve to act like _he_ was the wronged party. "That's real nice. So stingy, you can't even give a toy to a little kid."

Alpha's dark brown eyes turned a golden yellow, and a feral growl rumbled in her throat. She didn't transform; it was too public for that. But she meant to have this man _away_ from them, and _now._

"Whoa!" He jumped back a step, but her eyes had already reverted back to their normal color and she was silent once again, causing him to doubt what he'd just seen. "What was _that?_ "

Alpha gave an innocent-looking blink. "What was what?"

"...Forget it." The man speed-walked away with many a wary glance back, and he and his family packed up their things to leave.

Tooth Fairy stared at Alpha in wide-eyed disbelief and whispered, "Did you _mean_ to do that?"

"I did." she didn't try to deny it, but she didn't look proud of it either.

"If Mother Nature finds out you revealed yourself to a human, you could get your first warning. You get three, and if you mess up again after that you'll be suspended..."

"I didn't exactly _reveal_ myself. I just wanted to scare him off. It worked, didn't it?"

Tooth Fairy could see that she still didn't quite understand the gravity of what she had done. "Alpha...I don't want you getting into trouble. You're one of _us_ now; you're not a free agent anymore. I'm not trying to lecture you, but this is _really_ important."

Alpha thought back on how she had acted to keep Tooth Fairy out of trouble. It was really the main reason they had started talking to each other, and it had just turned into something else. She could understand where he was coming from, even if she didn't quite agree with him. "So, we should just...let them do what _he_ was doing? That's the second time he's been rude and borderline threatening towards ye. Am I just supposed to let that stand?"

" _Yes,_ " He gently gripped her shoulders, hoping she wouldn't become angry with him. Not on today, of all days! "Don't get me wrong; I wanted to pop him one, especially after what he called you. But we weren't in any physical danger. If he really started something, the people working here could've just kicked him out."

The Werewolf could see the logic in this, and she realized she had overreacted a bit. Humans always put her a little bit on edge, and this was when the humans were minding their own business. This confrontation, having a human aggressively argue with them while refusing to let them pass, had really shaken her up, and she was just beginning to realize this. She nodded and lowered her eyes, Roy's hands on her shoulders providing the grounding she needed. "I'm sorry, I just...I'm not used to this."

He gently stroked his thumbs along her arms, hardly aware that he was doing it. "It's okay. Just...take a breath when you feel that way. Ask yourself, 'will this be worth it in the long run?'. I have to do that sometimes, too. Just...promise me you won't do this again. Not for me. I'm not worth it."

Alpha looked up at him again, almost smiling, but not quite. "Yes, you are." Then, seeing that he wanted her to do as he asked, she sighed. "I promise."

"Thanks," he sighed as well, putting his arms around her for the hug they both needed. They rejoined the other two members of their group, painfully aware of the concerned looks they were getting.

"You guys okay?" asked Santa.

"Yeah..." Tooth Fairy said, and it wasn't exactly a lie. The confrontation had made him angry, but Alpha's reaction to him being mistreated had him very concerned. Would she _really_ risk disciplinary action on his behalf? He knew the answer was yes, and this both upset and touched him. Carol was speaking, and it took him a moment to register what she was saying.

"I'll bet I know what his problem was. He and his wife...or girlfriend? I'm not sure, but it doesn't really matter. It's Valentine's Day, and they had their son with them. Maybe the sitter cancelled at the last minute, or maybe they couldn't get one. Maybe they were bitter about it, and just wanted to keep him quiet." Carol seemed to be thinking out loud.

Alpha shrugged her shoulders, lightly rubbing Tooth Fairy's back just below the wings. This was distracting, but he decided that he liked it, and he listened as she added, "It's possible...or maybe he was just crabbit 'cause he couldnae win the rabbit."

"Heh..." Tooth Fairy lost his glum expression and gently nudged her. "C'mon, let's not let that goofball ruin our day. Wanna split a couple plates of mozzarella sticks four ways? I'm buying this time."

"Sure!" Santa, always ready to eat, was quick to agree.

"I might have one," Carol said.

"The way we ate today, what would Doctor Hismus say?" joked Alpha.

Tooth Fairy winked at her. "Doctor Hismus ain't here."

As they swapped more jokes and stories over their second round of junk food, the unwelcome blight on their outing was banished from their minds.

 _Note:_ _Parents like this exist! A family member of mine is one of them. Trust me, they're out there!_


	14. Chapter 14: Confession

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _TF and Alpha decide to finish off their evening with a walk through the park before he has to leave for work. Will Robert's (unwanted) advice come in handy, or will Roy bungle the whole thing? Read and find out! The music for this one is, 'Last Kiss Goodnight' by Kevin MacLeod._

"Chapter 14: Confession"

February 14th

After the group left the bowling alley, Alpha and Tooth Fairy found a safe place to summon the Fairy Ring that would take Santa and Carol back to the North Pole.

"You two are welcome to come back with us," Carol said when she noticed Alpha and Tooth Fairy hanging back.

Tooth Fairy looked over at Alpha, and in truth, he hoped she would say no. This had been a lot of fun, but what he really wanted was to be alone with her for a little while before he had to go to work. It had mainly been nerves that had caused him to invite Santa and Carol, and he was feeling fine now. Still, he wanted to see what Alpha wanted to do, because this was her 'date' too.

Alpha looked back at Tooth Fairy, saw the reluctance she felt reflected in his face, and she smiled. "It's a kind offer, but..."

Tooth Fairy smiled back at her and shook his head at the other couple. "We might just take a walk before I have to start work. Why don't you two go and enjoy some alone time before you have to go and get your kid?"

Santa grinned and held out a hand, which Tooth Fairy happily shook, then both he and Carol exchanged brief hugs with Alpha. "It was great, getting together like this. We should do it more often!"

Alpha clasped her hands behind her back. "Well, I'm game if you are."

"Yeah," Tooth Fairy unconsciously did the same. "Maybe we can catch a baseball game, as long as it isn't held at night."

Santa put his arm around Carol's shoulders and nodded towards the Ring. "Come on, honey. We better get back home before someone comes along and sees us here."

They said their goodbyes, and Alpha dismissed the Ring when Santa and Carol 'disappeared'. She turned to the Tooth Fairy and quizzically raised her eyebrows. "So...ye mentioned goin' for a walk?"

"Yeah," he nodded and pointed to the park's entrance. "We never actually went through the gate like everybody else. We always just sort of appeared in the middle."

She adjusted her denim jacket, then buttoned it as the wind picked up. "All right, let's go."

Tooth Fairy knew from experience that she wouldn't accept it if he offered her his jacket, citing the fact that then _he_ would be cold, so he did the next best thing and put his arm around her. His heart fluttered when she slipped her arm around his waist, and they were silent for a little while.

"I still feel bad about not being able to pay for anything..." Alpha finally admitted as they entered the park and walked along the path.

Tooth Fairy shook his head; he wished she could get past that! He _knew_ she wasn't the type to use him like that. "Alpha...I don't know how to make it any clearer to you, but I don't mind treating you once in a while. In fact, I _like_ it."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," he smiled at her. "Makes me feel good, being able to do stuff like this with you. Besides, you took care of me when I was sick, for cryin' out loud. If we were keeping score, I'd be the one who owes you, not the other way around. And I don't know about you, but I think scorekeeping belongs back at the bowling alley. Hehehe...boy, we really mopped the _floor_ with 'em, didn't we?"

Alpha snickered. She supposed he had a point. "Aye, so we did! And thanks for a really great time."

He smiled back. "Well, thanks for coming. It was a _blast._ "

Her smile turned mischievous. "And don't think I didn't notice, Roy."

"Hmm?" He blinked, trying to figure out what she was talking about. He hoped she wasn't talking about his accidental peek down the front of her shirt! Not that he'd minded the view, because it kept popping unbidden into his mind, but she'd never given him the 'okay' to look! "Notice what?"

" _I_ saw you showing off out there," she teased.

Tooth Fairy laughed a little more loudly than he normally would have in his relief, and bobbed his head once in a cheeky nod. "Darn right! Impressed?"

"And modest, too..." she chuckled.

At the sound of her quiet laughter, Tooth Fairy's heart galloped in his ribcage, and his throat spasmed a little as he tried to swallow. None of the passers-by gave them more than a passing look, and that was if they looked in their direction at all, but to _his_ mind he had the most beautiful woman in the world on his arm. And this _terrified_ him. Robert's words came back to him. _If you like her, you should tell her._ But how could he get such a thing off his chest without spoiling the moment? And yet...it was so monstrously huge that he wasn't sure if he could keep it inside, either.

Alpha saw the change in his demeanor, but she wasn't sure what caused it. Had she said something wrong? He didn't seem upset, but he wasn't talking anymore, and he hardly seemed to be paying attention to where they were going. She spotted a bench just up ahead, and she cleared her throat to get his attention. "Can we sit down?"

"Hm?" he snapped out of it and looked at her in concern. "You okay?"

"Oh, aye. I just want to sit for a minute, if that's okay with you."

"Oh." he nodded, wondering if she was tired, or maybe even sore. The repetitive arm movement of rolling a heavy bowling ball down the alley was something _he_ wasn't used to, so his right shoulder was still a little tender. "Sure, c'mon."

They sat down, and he automatically tried to fiddle with his dental floss, but then he remembered that he'd put it away. He still had it in his pocket, but he thought it would look weird if he got it out just then, and so he didn't. He picked at his thumbnail instead. _**Say**_ _something, stupid!_

Alpha could see that he wasn't going to get this started, and she thought she had some idea why, so she leaned forward to better see his face. "Where'd ye go?"

"Huh?" He looked over, saw her look of concern, and smiled gently. She smiled back, and he wondered if her lips were as soft as they looked. Would this be the night he found out? Or would he be heading off to work with a broken heart? He knew she would be kind if her answer was no, but it would still hurt. Was he ready and able to bear it? "Nowhere."

"Ye got very quiet all of a sudden. Is somethin' on yer mind?"

Tooth Fairy was silent for so long that Alpha thought he wouldn't answer her, then he sat up straighter and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. And I'm not sure how you're gonna take it."

A frown line appeared between Alpha's eyebrows and she folded her hands on her lap as she sat back a bit. "Neither am I, because I don't know what 'it' is. But ye know me, right? If there's a problem-"

"No...no, not a problem. Not really." His heart hadn't slowed down at all. If anything, it had picked up speed. _If you like her, you should tell her._

 _Could_ he, though?

Alpha shook her head. "Then what is it?"

Tooth Fairy realized that he'd already said too much, and that she would be worried or curious now that he had, so he turned a bit in his seat to face her. "I got somethin' to tell ya."

"All right," Alpha turned towards him as well, as patient as ever. She thought she knew what was coming, but she didn't want to assume or put him on the spot by trying to guess.

"There's something I need," he wasn't looking at her, but at his own hand, which rested on the cold, splintery wood of the bench.

"What do you need?"

He took a deep breath. It was now or never...and Heaven help his heart if this went South! "You in my life."

Alpha opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her own heart began to flutter, and she waited for him to continue.

His eyes met hers as he came clean. "Even if it's just as a friend. That's fine. But the way I feel about _you,_ it's...well, it's more than that. A lot more. I'm not expecting anything from you, I just...I wanted you to know. Because not knowing for sure if you just saw me as a friend or...whatever...has really been buggin' me."

Alpha's reaction wasn't at all what he expected. He _did_ expect her to turn him down. He wasn't sure what would be worse; laughter or pity. He got neither. And she didn't turn him down. Instead, she reached over and took his hand, linking her fingers through his. Her warm smile told him all he needed to know before she even spoke. "Well, I'm glad you said it first, because I was havin' trouble workin' up to it."

He blinked, thinking that, surely, he must have heard wrong. "You..."

She nodded. "I feel the same way about you. I haven't said anything because...well, it's still very new. And with everything else that's been going on...everything you've gone through lately...I wasn't sure of the timing. I didn't know what I wanted yet, either, and..."

She trailed off. They had held hands many times before, mostly when one wanted to comfort the other, but this was different. She felt him stroke the back of her thumb with the pad of his, and she broke out in gooseflesh.

She inched a little closer to him on the bench, trying to think of how to finish her sentence, but for the life of her she couldn't come up with the words. In fact, talking no longer seemed important. He moved as if to lean in, then stopped himself.

 _He doesn't know I just gave him the 'green light'. He really_ _ **is**_ _new to this._

She moved her face close to his instead, and paused; she didn't want to spook him if he wasn't ready for that.

Tooth Fairy's mind turned to his unwelcome conversation with Robert when he saw Alpha's eyes flick to his mouth and back, and he firmly pushed all thoughts of the Vampire from his mind. He gave an almost imperceptible nod, and when Alpha angled her head he followed suit and closed his eyes. Her lips were every bit as soft as they looked, and his free hand went up to cradle her face. His heart still pounded, but the calm that settled over him was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. This was good. This was _right._ What on Earth had he been so afraid of?

Alpha let her doubts fall away and simply enjoyed the moment. Enjoyed _him._ The future was always uncertain; this she knew very well. Wasted moments could never be recovered. And she didn't intend to waste a single one.

When they finally ended the kiss, it wasn't because they wanted to; Tooth Fairy's unseen wings vigorously fluttered, as they sometimes did when he was very happy, and he began to lift up from the bench. Alpha quickly put a hand on his shoulder and forced him back down, looking frantically around to make sure that no humans had seen, but she saw no one nearby. She turned back to him, wide-eyed, and gaped. Then they both began to laugh, him with a touch of embarrassment mixed in with his amusement.

"Sorry," he chortled, rubbing the back of his neck. "They have a mind of their own sometimes!"

She leaned forward and whispered, "So does my tail. Thankfully, I'm not wearing it today."

He pressed his forehead against hers as they laughed again, then gave her a light peck on the cheek. Her consent had made him brave. "So...where do we go from here?"

"You mean, tonight, or in general?" she returned.

"Both, I guess."

Alpha took his left hand, turning it so that she could look at his watch. "Well...we, or, rather, _you,_ don't have much time. Unfortunately. You'll have to go to work soon, so that's one question answered. As for the other...I really don't know."

He didn't either, but she seemed like she had more to say, so he nodded for her to continue.

"I wasn't _looking_ for this. It sort of caught me by surprise. And there's still so much we don't _know_ about each other." She linked her fingers in his again. "But I'd _like_ to."

Tooth Fairy gave her hand a squeeze and nodded thoughtfully. "And you know more about me than I do about you."

"Well," she squeezed back, "we'll have to fix that, then."

"Yeah..." He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him and put her arm around his waist. He heaved a deep sigh of contentment, taking in the scent of her hair and thinking that there was no other place he'd rather be. But it couldn't last. "Y'know, I like making the kids happy...but I wish I could just stay here with you instead. Just for one night."

"Mm..." she gave a sympathetic murmur. She wished he could stay a bit longer, too, but she knew how it was. "Maybe we can meet up tomorrow. I won't have as long as I did today, but I can get away for about an hour."

"Yeah." He brightened at the thought, and his next question came out easily. "So, now that we know...why don't we go on a date? A _real_ one."

"Aye," she nodded.

"Well, I picked tonight's activity. Whaddaya wanna do tomorrow?" he asked.

"Well," she leaned back from their embrace, "I had an idea. There's a place I'd like to show you. Maybe we can pack a lunch and go there."

Tooth Fairy grinned. "Sounds great, but where's 'there'?"

"I'll have to take ye there myself. It's a little off the beaten path, but for all I know, you've flown over it." she continued.

He chuckled. "Odds are, I have. But if it's under the trees, I probably missed it."

"Well, there _are_ trees there. It's near a creek. Humans don't find their way there often, and I'll sometimes go there and have a swim when it's hot. It's too cold for that now, but it'd be a nice place to have lunch and a chat. What do ye think?"

"I like it. Sounds like a nice place." Tooth Fairy replied, already looking forward to seeing it. As someone who met Mother Nature as a child and grew up in a place that blended the natural and the hand-made, he had a special affinity for the outdoors, as did most members of his race.

"You should see it in the early summer." She was about to say something else when Tooth Fairy's phone began to beep.

He took out his phone and silenced the alarm with a sigh. "Well...duty calls."

"Aye..."

Tooth Fairy stood up and turned to her, hesitated, then decided it was _way_ too soon to say out loud that he loved her. He thought it was fairly obvious anyway, and as new as things were he didn't want to spoil the moment by laying it on too thick. Besides, they most likely had centuries to tell each other that, so really, what was the hurry? "Say, what time?"

She loosely wrapped her arms around his neck and crossed her wrists at his nape. "Mm...how does one o'clock sound? Come by my place, and I'll take ye to it."

"Sounds great." And without any fuss or fanfare, their goodbye hug was thrown out in favor of a goodbye kiss.

"See ye tomorrow, Wintergreen. Happy Valentine's Day."

When they left, Cupid flew down from the tree that had served as his perch and texted Jack Frost. "'We...have...a...kiss...!' Aaand, send."

His phone went off three times just as he stashed it in his quiver, and he took it out again with a grumble. Jack's first message was just a string of various kinds of happy emojis, followed by a message that said, 'Who kissed who first?' and then one that said, 'DETAILS!'.

Cupid sighed. He really should have known better. He called Jack instead, lacking the patience to text back and forth.

Jack answered before the first ring had ended. "Well?!"

"Well, settle down, it's not like you won the lottery!" Cupid flew back up into the tree. "And there's not much to tell. He told her, she told him, and they met in the middle. Standard procedure, really. We can probably stop spying on them for now. I'm starting to get a little weirded out by it all anyway."

"Didn't I tell ya they'd be great together?" Jack couldn't resist gloating.

"Yeah, yeah...it's always great when you start out. But it don't always end that way. It's why I have two different arrows; one to cause love, and one to get rid of it. If things turn sour, I'm not gonna be able to fix it for them. The lead-tipped arrow won't have any effect on them."

Jack scoffed. "You're always such a buzzkill. You know, Santa and Carol had a fight three years ago, and some might have called it a deal-breaker. It almost was..." He grew somber as he recalled the part he'd played in that. "But they worked it out. Alpha and the Tooth Fairy are both reasonable people. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Even reasonable people have their limits," Cupid replied, equally serious. "Alpha's a Werewolf, don't forget. And we don't know much about her life before she joined us. What happens if she has some kind of dark secret in her past, like so many of us do? I mean, the guy's such a softie, he might not look at her the same after that."

"Hmm..." Jack frowned. "You have a point, but you're worrying about things that haven't happened. For now, can't you just be happy for them?"

"Who says I'm not?" Cupid shrugged. "I'm just not gonna get too excited over a little smooch. If it fizzles, it fizzles. And you know what _that_ means."

"I'm not streaking."

Cupid smirked and hung up on him.

 _Note:_ _I don't think these two would consider themselves to be 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' at this point, mostly because they haven't discussed it, but c'mon. They've pretty much been dating without calling it that for several weeks. XD I just want to make it clear that no seriously risqué stuff will happen in this story (at least, not on camera). What I've posted before is most likely about as racy as things will get, and in my opinion, that isn't much at all. But anyway! He finally told her. And it didn't go as badly as he had feared! I intentionally avoided naming the location of Alpha's chill-out spot, mostly because I haven't done a lot of traveling, and so that people can imagine for themselves where it might be._


	15. Chapter 15: First Warning

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _What happens when Tooth Fairy, distracted by thoughts of his evening with Alpha, gets careless and is seen by a human child? Not just any human child, but the kid from the bowling alley? He gets in Dutch with Mother Nature, that's what! The next day, Alpha notices how subdued he is, and they talk it out. It's high time to wrap up February and go into March!_

"Chapter 15: First Warning"

February 14th/15th

In much the same way that Santa 'just knew' who was naughty and who was nice, Tooth Fairy 'just knew' whose homes he had to visit. If he simply saw these kids in passing while out and about as a 'human', he wouldn't know them from Adam, but when he was working it was different. Like many things magical, he never thought to question it; it simply _was._

Not that his mind was fully on his job tonight, though! His mind was filled with thoughts of Alpha, of their first kiss, and what the future might bring. Bowling was an easy sport to pick up, and she had held her own quite well. He was the better bowler, but she had impressed him all the same. Maybe they would have to go again sometime.

Tooth Fairy circled back to visit a house that was very near where their bowling date had taken place. The kid had still been awake, since it was still rather early when Tooth Fairy left for work, but now it was safe to go in. As he neared the house, his mind called up the boy's relevant information. _Evan Lucas. Six years old. Lower central incisor._

As he climbed silently through the window, Tooth Fairy halted in place. He recognized this boy. _Hey, it's that kid from the bowling alley. He was okay, but his dad was a real piece of work!_

Tooth Fairy saw that the bedroom door was shut, and he was relieved. Once, he'd had to duck behind a dresser when another kid's father unexpectedly got up to use the bathroom, and he'd very nearly been caught. He didn't want a repeat of that!

He tip-toed over to the bed, made the exchange, and slipped the tooth into his pouch with the others before turning to leave. He would have to tell Alpha about this when he saw her tomorrow, and-

And he tripped over something in the semi-darkness, managing to keep his feet, but he was unable to suppress a loud grunt. He froze as he heard blankets rustling behind him, and then he shut his eyes in despair. He didn't have to turn around to know that Evan had sat up and seen him. He waited for the screams, but they never came.

"Who are you?" Evan whispered, squinting at the little wings on the back of this bear of a man.

Tooth Fairy sighed, then turned and knelt down. His face looked yellow in the dim glow of the night light. "I'm the Tooth Fairy."

"You're the guy from the bowling alley," Evan frowned as he tried to figure this out. "Are you wearing fake wings?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head and fluttered his wings a bit to prove it. "No. But you're right. I _was_ at the bowling alley today."

"Wait, if you're the Tooth Fairy...how come you're a boy?"

Why on Earth wasn't this kid afraid of him? It was worrying that the boy didn't automatically start screaming at the sight of a stranger in his bedroom! Weren't his parents teaching him about stranger danger? Perhaps he thought this was a dream.

Tooth Fairy would have left right away, but he wanted to make absolutely sure that he hadn't scared the boy. It was bad enough to be caught, but he would never forgive himself for traumatizing a child! He shrugged and replied, "Just sorta worked out that way, I guess."

Evan pointed at Tooth Fairy's wings and asked, "Can I touch 'em?"

Being asked something like that, out of the blue and by a stranger, brought Tooth Fairy up short. He shook his head, his voice gentle but firm as he denied the boy permission. "No, you may not. I'm a stranger. And I'm not even supposed to let you _see_ me."

"You gonna get in trouble?" Evan clutched his teddy bear a little closer, looking remorseful.

"Maybe," Tooth Fairy said, but he knew the answer was 'definitely'. He'd really put his foot in it. Literally!

"Because of me..." Evan looked down. "Because I didn't pick up my toys..."

Tooth Fairy was still worried about how much trouble he would be in, but he couldn't help but feel sympathy for the kid, and he shook his head. "Nahhh, because of _me._ I didn't watch where I was going. Speaking of 'going', I have more teeth to collect. Go back to sleep now, okay?"

"But I'm not _tired._ "

 _Poof!_

Tooth Fairy jumped and looked over his shoulder as Evan sank back onto his pillow and back into dreamland. A dark figure stood in the window, and Tooth Fairy sighed when he recognized him. "Hi, Sandman..."

Sandman, wide awake as he always was while he was working, approached him and offered a hand up. "Hi, Tooth Fairy. Can you give me a lift to the roof so we can talk?"

Tooth Fairy accepted the offered hand and got to his feet, his eyes on the floor. It was a toy fire truck he'd tripped over. He sighed. "Yeah..."

As soon as they were on the roof, Tooth Fairy turned his back and walked a short distance away. For Sandman to show up when he did, that could only mean one thing; Mother Nature was aware of what had happened, and had sent him to run damage control. She would probably be along soon.

"You're in trouble, you know." Sandman's voice wasn't unkind, but Tooth Fairy still hung his head.

"I know...You don't think he'll remember this, do you?"

Sandman let Tooth Fairy have his space. "If he does, it'll be as a dream."

Tooth Fairy folded his arms. He was so angry at himself! "Well, at least _that's_ something. So, what now?"

When Sandman didn't answer right away, Tooth Fairy turned to see if he'd fallen asleep, but he hadn't. Finally, Sandman shook his head. "This might be grounds for a warning. The first of three. I'm sorry, Tooth Fairy; the rules are absolute."

 _The rules are absolute._ He'd heard that one before. "Right...You can go back to your rounds. I'll wait for her here."

Sandman was looking not at Tooth Fairy, but behind him. "She _is_ here."

Tooth Fairy reluctantly turned to face Mother Nature, who stood with her hands folded in front of her and a very serious look on her face. Unable to maintain eye contact, Tooth Fairy looked down at his shoes. He heard Sandman leave without a word, and he didn't know if he was relieved not to have a witness or disappointed that he would have to be alone with her for this.

Mother Nature approached him, and he continued to stare down at his feet. She sighed. "Tooth Fairy? Look at me, please."

He nervously licked his lips and did as he was told.

"I know I don't have to explain to you how serious this is. Fortunately, it was a child who saw you. If it had been one of the parents, they could have become violent, and if you _did_ manage to get out safely-" she paused when he dropped his gaze once more. "You know what that would mean."

Tooth Fairy nodded and finally found his voice. "They would start looking into things. And maybe they'd find something. Then we'd all be in danger of being discovered, and...Mother Nature, I'm _really_ sorry. I _know_ I messed up."

"Yes, you did," Mother Nature agreed, then smiled softly. "But all things considered, it could have been much worse. Now, I'd like you to tell me exactly how it happened."

He rubbed at his mouth as he tried to gather his thoughts. "Well...I was distracted."

"'Distracted' how?" she asked.

"Uhhh...I was...I was thinking about what happened earlier, and I tripped over a toy. The noise woke him up."

"Something happened today?" Mother Nature persisted. "Another human saw your wings?"

"What? No, nothing like that. I was out bowling with Alpha, Santa, and Carol. Then they went home, and we went for a walk, and..." Tooth Fairy rubbed the back of his neck and looked down again.

"And...?"

Even as upset as he was, Tooth Fairy found himself fighting a smile. "She _kissed_ me."

Now Mother Nature smiled. "I see. I can understand how the memory would be distracting."

Tooth Fairy looked up again, sensing that the lecture wasn't quite over, but now it seemed that it wouldn't be as stern a lecture as he'd thought. He was right on both counts.

"Even so, you ought to know better. Your performance _far_ outshines that of your predecessors. For over four hundred years, you haven't gotten a single warning...until now." She frowned as he ducked his head again, and she hoped he wasn't about to cry. As big as he was, right then he looked uncommonly like a little boy who had just been told, 'I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed'. She reached out and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "This isn't something I ever want to do, but you've left me with no choice."

He nodded, dry-eyed but miserable. "I understand."

And yet, justice was tempered with mercy. "I don't like giving warnings anymore than you like receiving one. And this was an _accident,_ not an act of malice. If you can go the rest of the year without another incident like this one, your warning will be expunged and you'll have a clean slate."

Tooth Fairy's head shot up so fast that it actually startled her. "Really?"

Mother Nature nodded with a little smile. "That shouldn't be too hard for you. But no more getting distracted. Do we have an understanding?"

He nodded, fluttering his wings and hovering about a foot in the air before he remembered his manners and came back down. "We do."

"Good," Mother Nature turned to go, then halted and looked back at him. "Oh! Congratulations, by the way."

Before he could thank her, she disappeared as if she had never been there to begin with. There was a soft 'whoosh' as air rushed in to fill the space she had just occupied. He shook his head and flew off to find his next stop. As relieved as he was that his disgrace might not be permanent, he soon grew somber once more. He had a feeling it wouldn't be long before the rest of the Council found out about his shame. Sandman wasn't a gossip when he was awake, but he _was_ a notorious sleep-talker. _I've never gotten a warning in my entire_ _ **life!**_ _How am I gonna live this down? Even if it isn't permanent, a warning is a warning._

As much as he'd hated this job in the beginning, now it meant the _world_ to him! He'd lost so much, but he still had his job. In a way, Mother Nature was like a second mother to him, and he had _failed_ her.

He needed to talk to Alpha...

He pushed that thought from his mind. _Work first, then sleep, then talk. Maybe if I sleep on it, it won't seem so bad._

* * *

He was wrong.

When Alpha opened her door the next day, her greeting died on her lips. Tooth Fairy looked like he hadn't gotten enough sleep, and it was plain as day that something was bothering him. Before she could ask what his trouble was, he enfolded her in a bear hug and hid his face in her hair, a sure sign that he was upset. She let him, rubbing his back without a word and only stepping back when he did.

"Hey," He looked down.

"Hey..." She took his arm and moved so that she no longer blocked the doorway. "Come inside."

"Thanks."

Alpha frowned at his back as he passed her, and she shut the door behind her. "What happened after ye left?"

Tooth Fairy turned back to face her, incredulous. He knew his mood was obvious, but he _could_ have just been having one of his 'bad days'. It wasn't unusual for him to behave this way around her when he was feeling low. "How do you always _know?_ "

Alpha didn't have the heart to tell him his poker face needed work; she folded her arms and pointedly looked down. "Because every time something's wrong, you become fascinated by your feet. And ye were fine last night, I thought. Or maybe ye don't want to talk about it..."

He looked down again and heaved a deep sigh. "I got my first warning last night."

While she didn't fully understand how serious this was, she could clearly see that this had upset him, and she wondered what he could have possibly done to earn it. "What _happened?_ "

Tooth Fairy ran a hand through his hair and aimlessly paced the room. "I was seen. First time it's ever happened. It was the same kid from the bowling alley, if you can believe it. He wasn't scared, so _that's_ a plus, but it's still against the rules."

"Oh. I'm sorry..." Alpha shook her head. Her own words sounded trite to her, but she didn't know what else to say.

"Tch...yeah, so am I. I've _never_ gotten a warning before. _Never._ And to have someone I've always looked up to be disappointed in me..." He shook his head. "I'm just so _mad_ at myself I could hit something."

"Oh..."

"And to make matters worse," he stopped pacing and faced her again, his arms spread wide in a gesture of frustration, "Sandman knows about it, and he talks in his sleep! Pretty soon _everyone_ will know. Did you know that Jack Frost is the _only_ other Council member to receive any warnings? At least in _my_ lifetime, that is..."

Alpha shook her head, but said nothing as he raised his voice. It seemed like he just wanted to _vent,_ not listen to advice, so she let him.

"And it was because of something so _small_. I tripped over a toy. _A toy!_ I could've avoided it, it was bright enough in there, but I wasn't paying attention. Over four hundred _years_ of doing this job, and now my reputation is gonna be _shot!_ Four hundred years, _right_ down the toilet." He paused for breath, and he realized that he'd been yelling while Alpha simply stood there and listened with an occasional nod. "I'm sorry. It's not _you_ I'm mad at, I don't know why I'm yelling at _you._ "

Alpha came over and held out her arms to offer a hug, but she waited for him to either accept it or move off. She herself sometimes didn't like to be touched when she was angry, and she knew that he was the same way, but now he welcomed it and she held him tight. "You're not yelling _at_ me; you're just _yelling._ And you're justified. It sounds like it really meant a lot to ye. Your no warnings streak, I mean."

He nodded, hugging back. "Yeah...I might not have _wanted_ this job at first, but if I had to lose so much because of it...I wasn't gonna have it be for nothing. It's not even a permanent warning, if I can avoid trouble for the rest of the year, but still..."

"It's still a letdown for ye. I get it."

He sighed, feeling himself begin to relax. This had been festering since the night before, and while he hadn't meant to go off like that, it had been a relief to do so. It felt good to not only be able to freely express himself around her, but to have his feelings _validated,_ not shut down. He didn't have to be a certain way around her; he could just _be._ "Yeah. But anyway, a rant session isn't what I came here for. You said there was a place you wanted to show me?"

Alpha let go of him and fixed him with a concerned look. "Ye still want to do this? We can go another day."

Tooth Fairy shook his head, giving a small but genuine smile. "I could use the distraction. If _you_ still wanna go. I'd like to see it."

"I'm game if you are."

* * *

Tooth Fairy's sense of direction meant nothing when he was on the ground, especially when he was surrounded on all sides by trees and couldn't see where the sun was in the sky, but he wasn't worried about getting lost. Alpha walked a little ways ahead of him, and she stopped and pointed out a tangle of dormant honeysuckle vines. "See the game trail?"

He bent to look, and nodded. "Yeah. Must be hard to spot in the summer."

"It is," she nodded and pushed the vines aside, gesturing for him to go ahead. "After you."

He gave a small bow, causing her to snicker, and ducked under the vines. The path was more or less clear, and he looked back over his shoulder. The trail they were on was so narrow that they had to go single file to avoid getting scratched by the blackberry bushes on either side of it. His wings were hidden again, just in case, so he could see her without having to turn far. "Just keep going?"

"Aye, it's right up ahead. Listen."

Tooth Fairy paused, and he could hear a stream in the distance. "Yeah, I can hear it. You come here often?"

She chuckled and gave him a very light push. "Bit late for pick-up lines, sir."

"It wasn't!" he laughed. The laugh trailed off when he parted another clump of vines and found that they were at the bank of the creek. It stretched about thirty feet from bank to bank, and a downed tree lay across it like a bridge. He could picture how green, how _alive_ this place would be in the late summer, and he sighed. Mother Nature was indeed an artist!

Alpha sidled past him, then pointed at the tree. "Oh, that's new. Must've fallen down in the storm they had here last week. Shame...I liked that tree."

"Mm," he gave a sympathetic nod, then pointed at where the tree had broken off from its stump. "Looks like it was dying for some time. It's hollow inside."

She nodded, shrugged in a 'such is life' manner and smiled. "So, what do ye think o' the place?"

"It's beautiful here," he smiled, "Kinda like a Bob Ross painting."

Alpha cocked her head. "Who?"

He chuckled. "Oh, he was some artist who had a TV show. I usually fell asleep before he was done, but he was pretty good. Don't tell anyone I used to watch it, though. I'll never hear the end of it."

She shook her head as if to say 'you know better', and said, "I won't, but if ye get made fun of for that, it says more about them than it does about you."

He took her hand as they looked for a good spot to sit and have lunch. "Must be nice not caring what people say about ya."

"Who says I don't?" she blinked.

Tooth Fairy wasn't sure if he'd just put his foot in his mouth, and he backpedaled. "I mean, I'm not sayin' you don't, I just..."

Alpha smiled and rolled her eyes. "It depends on who it is and what they're saying. Robert actually gets away with a lot because he's just an eejit, and he usually doesn't mean any harm. Someone like Pearl, or Punky, or _you..._ that'd be an entirely different matter."

"Why would I do that?" he shook his head.

Alpha shrugged. "Didn't say you would. How did we get from 'paintings' to this?"

"No idea." he snickered.

Tooth Fairy unfolded the blanket Alpha had brought and laid it on the ground. It was still cold, but he was used to flying in blizzard conditions from time to time, and she didn't seem to feel the cold as much as a human would, so they were relatively comfortable as they sat and ate their sandwiches.

It occurred to him that she was almost always in human form when he saw her, even when she didn't expect him to show up, and he didn't realize he was staring until her eyes shifted uncomfortably.

"What?"

"Oh!" He cleared his throat. "Sorry, I was just wondering...can I ask you somethin'?"

She smiled. "Ye just did, but go ahead."

"Okay, well...I remember you saying before that you were more comfortable in your other form, but now whenever I see you, you're..." he stopped speaking when her face lost all expression and she looked away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, no, just...A few reasons, really, and most of'm aren't happy ones." she wrapped up her half-eaten sandwich, her appetite quite gone.

"I'm _sorry..._ " he said gently, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"It's fine." Alpha had a sip from her water bottle, having composed herself, and she looked at him again. "Ye had no way of knowin'. It just felt _safer._ The other form is bigger. Stronger. And I can be pretty damn scary when I want tae be. It's usually a bluff, but it's enough."

Even though Tooth Fairy's mind had been in chaos during the stand-off with The Founders, he remembered seeing her charge in like she meant to football-tackle the lot of them, teeth bared, ears flat, hackles raised. If he'd been thinking about it _then,_ he might have regarded her with a lot more caution. He nodded. "I wouldn't wanna tangle with you in that kinda mood, that's for sure."

"No," she gave a mirthless chuckle. "Neither did _they._ But I didn't want tae mess with _them,_ either. Do ye know what it's like to be in a constant state of fight or flight?"

Tooth Fairy slowly shook his head. The image of her growling at Evan's father came to mind again, and now he thought he understood it. "No."

"Ye're always lookin' over yer shoulder. Yer guard is _never_ down, because you just _know_ that the moment ye relax, that's when somethin' happens. I'm only _now_ learnin' about a lot of the messed-up things they did. We found journals when we gutted the mansion..." Alpha had another sip of water, and her hands were beginning to shake.

Tooth Fairy scooted closer and put his arms around her. "It's okay, you don't have to talk about it...But if you need to, ya can." He wasn't so sure he wanted to hear it, but he knew he felt better after telling her his troubles. How could he not listen to hers? Especially after he'd ruined their date by upsetting her.

Alpha nestled her head against his chest and hugged back. She hadn't even admitted it to herself up until this point, but _this_ was the other reason she was frequently in her human form. She _liked_ being smaller than he was. "I could only get a few pages into the first one before I had to put it down. I don't have much to tell as far as those go. But I know the real reason why they sent us up on Halloween to let the humans catch a glimpse of us here and there."

"Why?" he rocked her. She wasn't crying yet, but he had a feeling she probably would, and he felt terrible.

"The cavern is much larger than the city itself," she sighed, closing her eyes. "They _could_ have expanded the boundaries to accommodate a growing population, but they didn't want to do that..."

His heart sank. "Oh, no..."

She nodded. "They were thinning us out. They knew...the little bastards _knew_ the humans would go on the defensive. Many times, we couldnae even bring our friends back for a proper burial, because we had no idea where they were. And those two played it off like some 'tragic accident' every time, and I just _swallowed_ it because I didnae want to _believe_ it of them. How could I have been so _stupid?_ "

"Don't say that..." he whispered as she quietly began to cry. "No, you're not stupid..."

"I'm sorry..."

"Heyyy..." He continued his slow rocking, and dipped his head to kiss the side of hers. He didn't have her gift for words when people were crying, but he could still be there for her, like she was for him. "Hey, if I can cry, so can you...I gotcha..."

Alpha sniffled and almost immediately began to calm down. "I didn't mean to ruin it..."

"You didn't ruin _anything._ It's okay."

She sighed and sat back again. "I was never sure what they could do, because they were always so secretive. I had to act like I wasn't scared o' anything, and I was good at it, but... _always._ I was _always_ afraid. With them gone, for the first time in centuries, I feel _safe._ Thank you," she said as he passed her his handkerchief. "Plus, I'm not hitting our meat supply nearly as hard these days."

"Yeah..." He nodded and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I didn't mean to bring up something like that. I didn't know."

"I know..." She smiled a little. "Actually, it's kind of a relief. I mean...how does one bring up somethin' like that, anyway? Hi, how was your day, by the way _this_ happened."

"Heh..." He shook his head. "Yeah. I can't just start cold either. I gotta work up to it."

They sat and watched the creek in silence for a while, and eventually Alpha got her sandwich back out and finished it. Aside from her slightly red eyes, she seemed perfectly fine again, if a little subdued, and he shook his head as he watched her. "How do you do it?" he asked.

She swallowed the last bite of her sandwich and wiped her mouth with the napkin she'd brought. "Do what?"

Tooth Fairy picked up a pebble and tossed it into the creek. "You've lost so much more than I have, and I was going out of my mind over something that really happened centuries ago, and..." He trailed off, unsure how to phrase it in a way that wouldn't upset her again.

She knew what he meant, though, and she shook her head. "Sooner or later, everyone faces the hardest thing they've ever gone through. It doesn't make a difference that someone has it better or worse than you; if it hurts, it hurts. I don't want to say ye get _used_ to it if it happens enough times, because you really don't...but...if ye can look back on all the times you made it through all that mess and all that pain, you can say to yourself, 'I thought I wouldn't get through _those_ either. But I did. And I can again.' And ye do. Plus, _screw_ The Founders. I'm done givin' them power over me."

Tooth Fairy stared at her with a certain sort of awe, and then he smiled. _Gods, I love this woman!_

Alpha made a slight face, and did something Tooth Fairy immediately recognized; she was trying to work a food particle out of her teeth without being super obvious about it, and before he could offer she turned to him and asked, "Got any floss on ye, by any chance?"

He laughed softly, reached into his pocket, and held out a little white container. "Have we met?"

Maybe their day hadn't been completely ruined after all.

 _Note:_ _TF is a giant teddy bear! Alpha opens up a little. He hasn't had to be 'the shoulder' very often, but hopefully he did okay!_


	16. Chapter 16: Confusion and Clarity

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _The first week of March is a confusing one for TF, because Alpha seems to be pulling back. Robert gives a bit of insight, and TF decides that he isn't so bad after all. Alpha and TF have words, but not really fighting ones. And there's a surprise at the end of the chapter! I just listened to white noise for this one. 'Space Sounds for Sleep or Studying|White Noise Spaceship Ambience 10 Hours' on YouTube, if anyone's curious. Their misspelling, not mine, lol._

"Chapter 16: Confusion and Clarity"

March 1st

For Tooth Fairy, the last half of February had been great. He and Alpha hadn't put a label on what they were, but he was fine with that. Also, as far as he knew, Sandman hadn't spilled the beans yet, so perhaps the rest of the Council didn't know he got a warning. Thinking back, there should have been a formal meeting to address the issue, but he thought that this might have been skipped because he'd always been on good terms with Mother Nature. Maybe she had spared him a 'public shaming' on purpose. She was strict, but she was also fair, so he wouldn't put it past her.

It wasn't until March rolled around that he realized trouble had flown in under his radar. It all started innocently enough.

Tooth Fairy called Alpha as he loaded his cart with the essentials; eggs, milk, bread, and mouthwash.

"Hey, Roy."

"Hey, Alpha. Listen, I know it's short notice, but do you wanna go see a movie?" His smile faded when he heard her sigh, and he wondered if he was becoming a pest. "Or not...?"

"I do, but I can't. I just settled a pretty heated argument. There was some disagreement as to who should get priority access to the theater tonight, which is something we've never done, so I don't even know where this is coming from. Apparently my telling them to share was 'unreasonable'. Now I'm off to figure out who tried to flush an apple down one o' the toilets." She snorted. "And whether or not there's a correlation between the two incidents."

"Ooh..." Tooth Fairy made a face. He was glad he didn't have to deal with that! Then he felt guilty for thinking that, when she had no choice but to deal with it. "I'm sorry. You need any help?"

"Heh...no, just a wall to bang me head against," She quipped. "How's yer day goin'?"

"S'goin' all right." He considered for a moment, then tossed a few toothbrushes into his cart as well. "If you're busy, I'll let ya go."

"I'm sorry..."

"Nah, it's no biggie. I'll call ya tomorrow." He tried not to sound as disappointed as he felt. Maybe seeing so much of her last month had spoiled him a little.

"Not if I call ye first," she replied.

He had to smile at that.

March 2nd

She didn't call first. In fact, she didn't even answer her phone when he called _her._ He told himself that she was simply busy, or that she had slept through the phone ringing again. That had happened before. His traitor of a mind called up the image of her running through the woods with a gunshot wound to the shoulder, and he very nearly went straight to The Hollow right then, just to make sure, but his rational brain switched on and he stopped himself.

 _Okay...If something like that happened, she wouldn't be_ _ **there,**_ _would she? And if she is there, and she's busy, you'll be getting in the way. And since when do you immediately jump to the worst case scenario?_

Well, he knew the answer to _that_ one. He wondered if November would end up being a bad month for him, and how far-reaching the damage actually was.

 _She's fine. And you need to calm down._

Tooth Fairy was on his way out the door to begin his rounds when Alpha finally called him back, and he had his phone out of his pocket in an instant. "Alpha, you okay?"

"I'm fine, and I'm _so_ sorry! I left me phone at home."

He sagged against the wall and heaved a sigh that almost seemed to come up from his toes. "Sorry...I know it's silly, but you had me worried there."

There was the sound of a door being closed. "It's not silly. I _always_ get back to ye, and today I didn't. Guess I don't have me eye on the ball today. _You_ okay?"

"Yeah," he snorted, embarrassed. "I was just on my way out. I have a feeling it'll be a busy night."

"Oh. Roy?"

"Yeah?"

"I...Be safe, all right?"

Tooth Fairy wondered what she almost said, but he was already running late, and she sounded tired. "Always am. Night, Alpha."

"Night."

March 6th

From March third, fourth, and fifth, Alpha grew progressively more distant, and Tooth Fairy didn't understand why. He knew she was busy, but she had been busy since she took over as the leader of The Hollow, and she'd always made time to meet up before. They had a council of sorts, and even though they were still hashing out the details, the town seemed to be chugging along fairly well. It _had_ to be him. What had he done?

Maybe he wasn't all that great at kissing. He certainly hadn't gotten fresh with her, so it couldn't be that. If anything, _she_ was the one who liked a good (or bad, depending on how one looked at it) double entendre.

Whatever it was, he wished she would tell him, because he hadn't had the nerve to ask. They had gotten pretty close, he thought, and up until recently they had been very open and honest with each other. Whether she meant it to or not, this sudden withdrawal was hurting him.

 _Maybe I'm being too clingy. I needed my space early on. Of course, that was before we were together. At least, I think we're together...We were, at any rate. Maybe she needs her space now. What do_ _ **I**_ _know about running a city?_

He decided not to contact her that day, in case he really _was_ becoming a pest and she didn't want to say so, and he was crestfallen when she didn't contact him either.

March 7th

At around three in the afternoon, Tooth Fairy decided that it was time to visit The Hollow and see if he could speak with Alpha face to face. He wasn't angry, but he _was_ confused and a little hurt, and he simply couldn't take it anymore. Even if what she had to say wasn't something he was ready to hear, it just _had_ to be better than trying to guess what was going on inside her head.

Once his eyes had adjusted, which only took a few seconds, Tooth Fairy saw that Alpha's windows were dark. So, he flew to The Pale Horse to see if Alpha was there, or if anyone inside knew where he could find her. He had never been to Punky's bar, but he knew she liked to frequent the place, so that was as good a place to start as any.

At that time of day, the bar only had a few people in it, and Tooth Fairy was a little surprised to note that the place looked like a run-of-the-mill sports bar.

Robert was sitting at the bar, but he wasn't drinking anything; as someone who only consumed blood, it was likely that he was there to socialize instead. He turned in his seat when the bell over the door jingled, and he flashed his fangs in a wide grin. "Hey, it's wingman! S'up, dude?"

Tooth Fairy walked up to the bar, but didn't sit down. "Not much. Have either of you seen Alpha lately?"

Punky, who was sorting the swizzle sticks because there was nothing else to do, looked up. "Yeah, but not in here. You might try the library on West Toadstool Street."

"Thanks," Tooth Fairy nodded and turned to go, but halted when Robert clapped a hand down on his shoulder to stop him. He turned and said peevishly, "What?"

"Since when do _you_ not know what Alpha's up to?" Robert asked, and crossed his fingers. "Thought you two were like _this._ "

Tooth Fairy twisted his shoulder from Robert's grasp, nettled by the nosy Vampire's insight. "Just looking for her, that's all. She's...a little hard to get ahold of these days."

Punky's carved mouth quirked in a frown. "Yeah...I'm wondering if she bit off more than she can chew. These people are running her ragged."

Robert put two and two together fairly quickly, and he folded his arms with a snort. "She's doing it again."

Tooth Fairy frowned and sat down on the bar stool next to Robert. "Spill."

"Can't. I don't have a drink. Okay, okay," Robert held up his hands, seeing that Tooth Fairy wasn't in the mood for jokes. "She's just been under an insane amount of pressure. Personally, I think she's nuts, taking this job, but she did."

Punky chimed in, "Well, to be fair, she's the oldest one here. Not counting Silas and the handful of Elves that chose to stay. She's pretty damn invested, at this point. Plus, no one else really wanted the job, so there ya go."

Tooth Fairy ignored the swearing. He didn't really mind it; he simply chose not to do it himself, for the most part. He turned to Robert. "What did you mean by 'she's doing it again'?"

Robert nodded, taking his Zippo out of his pocket and flicking it on and off. "I think I get what happened. She stopped talkin' to ya as much, and you're not sure if you pissed her off, right?"

Not really trusting Robert not to tease him, but mindful of the good advice he had given in the past, Tooth Fairy simply shrugged.

"Yeah. It's not you, bro. The job has her kinda stressed out. She's changing a few things, and a lot of the people here don't _like_ change. They're not sure what's gonna happen now."

"Ohhh." Tooth Fairy nodded slowly. It made perfect sense, actually.

"Add to that," Robert went on, "we found some journals in the mansion. She's been going through them, and she's been pretty vague about it."

Tooth Fairy's face went blank as Robert's casual statement hit him like a freight train. His mind brought up their first real date, where she had broken down and told him about what The Founders had done, and everything became clear. He had stupidly assumed that she would leave the journals unopened, since they had upset her so badly before, but he had been wrong. "I didn't think she'd keep..."

Robert raised an eyebrow. "You _knew?_ Well, I guess you would..."

Tooth Fairy got up and began to leave, but Robert followed him.

"Hey, wait a minute!"

"What?" Tooth Fairy turned, and Robert almost bumped into him.

Robert showed no signs of teasing now. "Look, I'mma be straight with ya. She's never brought up her past to me, or to Punky. As far as I know, she's _never_ talked about it. Not to anyone. And in spite of all the crap I've pulled, I know she'd give her life for me, if push came to shove. And I'd die for her. Whatever she's learning from those books..." He shook his head and his voice took on a warning tone. "I'm just sayin', don't have a go at her just because she's not talking to you as much as she did before, okay? We get on each other's nerves, but we're still friends. You make her cry, and I'll kick your ass. I don't care how big you are. Got it?"

Tooth Fairy blinked once, then began to chuckle. Robert had insulted him in the past. Robert had annoyed him. Robert was an insufferable pain in the butt! But Robert was also a guy who was willing to throw down for his friend, even if he'd most likely throw it in her face afterwards. Tooth Fairy had never _hated_ Robert...but now he was actually beginning to _like_ him.

Robert frowned. "What's so funny?"

The Fairy shook his head. " _Nothing's_ funny. I just think I might've misjudged you." He clapped Robert on the shoulder. "You're all right."

"Oh. Cool." Robert put his Zippo away and passed Tooth Fairy to go out first. "Gonna go see if I can track Omen down. That cat owes me the 'daily news'. Love, peace, and chicken grease!"

The bell rang twice as Robert opened the door and let it swing closed behind him, and Tooth Fairy scratched his head. " _Bicuspids,_ he's weird..."

Punky laughed as he filled someone's drink order. "If he was still here, he'd take that as a compliment!"

* * *

There was some confusion when Tooth Fairy realized that The Hollow had _two_ libraries, and since he'd forgotten the street name, he went to the wrong one first. This one had mostly children's books, and several parents and their children turned to eye him with something akin to suspicion. "Oh...sorry, I was looking for Alpha?"

A Witch who looked a little bit familiar to him approached with a friendly smile, holding a little girl by the hand. He recognized the kid, too. This was little Zoe! He offered a smile, but she hid behind her mother, playing shy. The mother ('Rose', he thought her name was) pointed to her right. "Right idea, wrong library. It's at the other end of town, with a big blue sign above the door. Just head in that direction."

Understanding flashed across his face, and he grinned appreciatively. "Thanks a lot."

"Oh, you're welcome. She might be a little busy, though."

Everyone else went back to their own business when they saw one of their own having a friendly exchange with him. They knew who he was, but they didn't really _know_ him, and they hadn't expected him to show up there right then.

Tooth Fairy said goodbye and went on his way, and before long he found the correct building and went inside. Again, people stopped what they were doing and turned to stare, but as with the parents and children, they simply seemed to be caught off guard. A male Vampire he hadn't met before nodded when they made accidental eye contact, then went back to browsing the shelves.

 _Okay...awkward...but not so bad._ He thought to himself as he approached the librarian, who was sorting books near the back. He wondered if this man was the father of little Cynthia, because he was another one of those Spider monsters, and Tooth Fairy had only spotted a handful of those. The librarian's name tag read 'Nick', which seemed an odd name for what he was, but Tooth Fairy knew that he himself was in no position to judge when it came to names! He cleared his throat. "Uh, excuse me?"

"Yes?" Nick raised his head, squinting his eight eyes in annoyance at having been interrupted.

"Hi, sorry to bother ya, but do you know if Alpha's here?" Tooth Fairy asked in what he thought was a polite and friendly voice, but it seemed Nick was determined to be annoyed.

"She's in the back, but you can't go in," Nick went back to what he was doing.

"Oh," Tooth Fairy folded his arms. He didn't want to make trouble here, and he didn't want to draw any negative attention to himself. "Well...would you mind telling her I stopped by?"

"And you are...?"

 _Jeez, sorry for being_ _ **born,**_ _by the way..._ Tooth Fairy behaved himself and simply said, "Roy."

Nick caught on when he saw the Tooth Fairy frown, and he straightened. He realized he was being a jerk. Also, if the rumors were true, Alpha was dating this guy, so he put his 'customer service hat' on. "Yeah. Sorry I'm a little gruff today. The baby kept us up. Wait here, and I'll see if it's okay."

Tooth Fairy nodded, somewhat regretting what he'd thought a moment before, and he was glad he'd kept his irritation to himself. Sleep deprivation was enough to make anyone grumpy! "Don't worry about it. Thanks."

Tooth Fairy looked at the book covers without touching them, not wanting to incur the wrath of the sleepy librarian, and a few moments later someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned his head to see who it was, but there was no one there, and a hand came from his other side and covered his eyes. "Wh-"

Alpha removed her hand, grinning from ear to ear. "Hi."

"Haha!" He laughed, shaking his head as she gave him a quick hug. "That's the third time you got me with that."

Nick looked like he wanted to shush him, then apparently thought better of it.

Alpha noticed this and motioned for Tooth Fairy to follow her into a back room. Once they were inside with the door shut, Alpha also shut the book that lay on the table. "How was work?"

He couldn't help but notice that she hadn't kissed him, that she wasn't making eye contact, and that there was an old wooden chest sitting under the table. He had some idea of what was in there, and he didn't like that she was shutting herself away in her free time to read that poison. He shrugged his shoulders and went to stand beside her. "Same thing, different night."

"That good or bad?" she smiled.

"Mostly good. The weather could've been better. Don't tell Mother Nature I said that." He added.

"I won't."

There was a long silence, and not the comfortable kind they were used to. He knew something was up, and she _knew_ that he knew. Why was she doing this?

Tooth Fairy casually reached for the book, but she pushed it just out of his reach and finally met his gaze with a little shake of her head. He didn't push it, and instead lowered his voice. "What's going on?"

"You reached for the book, so you know what's going on," she replied, her voice just as quiet.

"Yeah...I do _now._ Until I came down here, I thought you were mad at me." He drummed his fingers on the table, since he couldn't be bothered to get out his floss for some winding.

Alpha's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "Why would I be _mad_ at you?"

"That's what _I_ was wondering. I wasn't sure if I'd said something, or..." He shook his head, and responded in kind when she hugged him tight.

"No...You didn't do anything. I'd tell you if ye did. I wouldn't leave you to figure it out. I'm sorry." Alpha sighed, taking in the scents she hadn't realized she missed so much; white sage, wintergreen, and _him._

"Don't worry about it," He closed his eyes, never wanting to let go. Lord, he had missed her! "I just wish you wouldn't try to deal with this alone. Heh...Jeesh, don't _that_ make me sound like a hypocrite?"

She gave a short, quiet laugh, and then she gave him a long kiss before answering. "Yes."

Then they were both chuckling, and she sat down in her chair. He turned the other chair around and straddled it, resting his arms on the back of it. Alpha was never quite sure why some men liked to do that, but she didn't comment.

"Have you been sleeping?" he propped his chin on his forearms.

"Not well," she admitted, serious again.

He was eyeing the journal again. "That bad, huh?"

Alpha shook her head and moved it further away. "I know what you're thinking. No."

Tooth Fairy raised an eyebrow. "I could've been thinking about The Three Stooges, for all you know."

Alpha knew _that_ reference, at least, and some annoyance was beginning to show on her face. "Okay, then enlighten me."

He clicked his tongue and sat up again. "I was thinking that I wouldn't mind taking a look for myself."

"No."

"You _do_ know I'm just as stubborn as you are, right?" He asked, mildly. When she growled in frustration, a human growl, he shook his head. "And you don't scare me, either."

"I'm not trying to." She retorted, then flinched and rubbed her forehead. "Ow."

"Headache?"

"Mm..." Alpha opened her eyes, and she saw only patience in his. "Roy...I...You don't want to be inside her head, okay? _I_ don't want to be inside her head. Afterwards, I just want to get under a boiling-hot shower and just _stay there_ for the rest of the day, but who has time for that?"

"To say nothing of the hot water bill," he tried for a joke, but she only rolled her eyes. "Sorry, not funny?"

She cracked a tiny smile. "It's a _little_ funny."

"So, what're you afraid _I'll_ see in there?"

No answer.

Tooth Fairy didn't back down. They were past that point, and he knew he could go there with her. "Something about Brinna? That's it, isn't it? You think I can't handle it...right?"

Alpha tried to look away, but he didn't let her. He put out a gentle hand, and kept her from turning her head. She could have easily resisted him, but she didn't. Instead, she nodded. "So far, it's stuff you already know. Just with Viola's personal spin on things. She didn't spare the details, luv..."

Even though it rankled a bit that she hadn't let him make the choice for himself, he could appreciate why; she did it for the same reason he was trying to turn her away from those books. And he'd never heard her call him 'luv' before. "Well...maybe I _can't_ handle it. Then again, maybe I _can._ I won't know unless I see it for myself. I'd skip that part, though...At least, for now."

Alpha shook her head, but it was more an indecisive move than a denial. "I don't know."

"Okay...so, why're _you_ reading these things?"

" _I_ don't know. Because I _have_ to."

And then she froze. _There it was._ He simply raised his eyebrows and waited to hear what she'd say.

"There's morbid curiosity, but there's also...Have you ever run a town before?" She suddenly switched gears.

"Nooo?"

"Neither have I. They had a lot of bad ideas, but they had to be doing _something_ right, or this place would've fallen ages ago. If I can just wade through all the narcissism and mayhem, I just might find something useful. Already have, actually. They arranged it so that we had just enough of what we needed to live on, and kept the rest. Heaven knows what they did with most of it...So, we revised our distribution system, and now that's one less thing we have to worry about."

Tooth Fairy nodded, pursing his lips in thought. "Well...instead of locking yourself up in here with 'Cuckoo's' books, maybe we can go through them together."

"Roy, it's not-"

"It involves me, too," he interrupted her, but gently. "You can't pretend that it doesn't. And I'll make you a promise, if you make _me_ one. If I come across something I can't handle, I'll stop for the time being. And I want you to do that, too. That a promise?"

Her heart turned over, and she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Ye didn't say 'I promise'."

"Heh. I promise. Your turn."

Still, she hesitated. "Ye can't guarantee that you won't accidentally read too far into it and get upset."

Tooth Fairy shrugged his shoulders. "Then I'll get upset. And I'll get through it. Because I did before, and I can again. A real smart lady taught me that."

"Flatterer..." She leaned in to kiss him, and he put a finger to her lips.

"Ah-ah, what did you forget?"

"Oh. Aye, all right...I promise." She said, and he lowered his finger.

"Good. As you were." He grinned and let her kiss him. It started out as their kisses usually did, but by the time someone knocked on the door they realized they were dangerously close to taking things a step further. Neither of them was ready for that, and that snapped them back to reality as they came up for air.

Alpha cleared her throat. "Aye, who is it?"

"Well, well, well..." Robert drawled from the other side of the door, and any lingering desire they had to take things further was instantly squelched. "If you two are finished necking, I got something Wingman's gonna wanna see!"

Tooth Fairy ran a hand down his red face, trying to decide if he should laugh or not. Seems he had a new nickname, and he had a feeling it was going to stick. "This better be good, Robert."

Alpha got up and opened the door, and placed a hand on her hip as she stared the gloating Vampire down. "Wipe that sleazy grin off yer face, ye tosser."

Tooth Fairy snorted in an unsuccessful attempt at suppressing a laugh.

"Look what _I_ got!" Robert sang, then held up a VHS tape with a gasp. "It's the demolition tape! Oooh!"

Tooth Fairy got to his feet and joined them. "Demolition tape?"

Alpha was of two minds. One, he would watch it and get a great deal of vicarious enjoyment out of it. Or two, bad memories would come flooding back. Still, he was right. He was an adult, and he had the right to choose for himself whether to watch it or not. "Over the course of a week or so, we took down the mansion. Someone had a camcorder, and we had some fun with it. Do ye want to see?"

Tooth Fairy didn't even have to think about it. "Does the Easter Bunny hide eggs?"


	17. Chapter 17: Bringing Down the House

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Alpha and Tooth Fairy weren't able to have a proper go at The Founders when all was said and done, but that doesn't mean revenge can't be had! Mild content warning for alcohol use, though it isn't severe, and I guess I should have posted a content warning for Robert's nicotine habit and the occasional swearing a long time ago, but better late than never. The backing track for the video montage at the end of the tape is 'Johann Pachelbel- Canon in D [Electric Guitar]'. You can find it on YouTube. Seemed fitting!_

 _Scenes from the tape will be written in the same way as 'present-day' scenes, and rather than switch back and forth between the two using horizontal lines to break up the text, I decided to just write it all straight through. To avoid confusion, footage will be mainly dialogue-driven and written in_ _ **bold italics**_ _to allow for character reactions without breaking the narrative too badly. Hopefully it works! (I found some mistakes on a fresh read-through, so I corrected those and re-wrote a few sentences that didn't look so good in the light of day.)_

"Chapter 17: Bringing Down the House"

March 7th

Robert unlocked his front door and crossed the threshold ahead of Alpha and Tooth Fairy, flicking on the light and calling over his shoulder, "I invite you in. Oh...sorry, habit."

"Huh?" Tooth Fairy squinted, not quite getting what just happened. There was a half-full ash tray on the coffee table, and the pervasive smell of cigarettes in the place caused him to sneeze, but he didn't complain.

"Bless you," Alpha said, then explained in an undertone, "Vampires can't enter a dwelling unless the person living there invites them in. I've been here, but you haven't, and old habits die hard."

"Oh," Tooth Fairy nodded, then raised an eyebrow and asked, mostly in jest, "What were _you_ doing here?"

Robert popped in the tape and answered the question before Alpha could. "After the usual 'getting to know the newbie' visit, it was usually to tell me off. She never came over to hang out, or anything. Seriously, what's _up_ with that? I'm a likable guy."

Alpha rolled her eyes at the Vampire's teasing grin. "You have your moments. So, is this the final cut?"

"Yeah, Kyle dropped it off this morning. We really need to modernize our editing system, though. Took him forever to do it with these tapes. Those DVD players he scavenged from the dump and fixed up are all right, but VCR's are _so_ out. You can hardly find replacement parts anymore." Robert noticed they were still standing, and pointed to the couch. "Go ahead and park it. I'd get you some popcorn, but I don't eat, so...yeah."

Alpha and Tooth Fairy sat down on the couch, waving off Robert's almost-apology, and the Vampire sat on the arm of the couch at Alpha's other side. She raised an eyebrow. "Are we talkin' VHS or Beta?"

" _Damn,_ you're old!" Robert laughed.

Alpha gave it right back to him as he picked up the remote. "You were born, what, four years before the first Beta came out, and you're callin' me old because I remember those?"

"Hey, I may be the Vampire here, but _you're_ the old bat!" Robert turned on the TV.

Alpha turned to Tooth Fairy, who was snickering at their antics. "See what I have to put up with?"

"Uh-huh. Rob, you gonna press 'play', or what?" Tooth Fairy lifted his chin to talk over Alpha's head.

Robert started the tape before Tooth Fairy had finished his sentence, and they settled in to watch. Tooth Fairy anxiously licked his lips, and Alpha looked over at him with a little frown. He nodded back to answer her unasked question; he was okay. So far.

Tooth Fairy had never seen the whole movie 'Halloween' before, but he _had_ caught the first ten minutes of it before deciding that it was _not_ for him, and he recognized the theme music and the opening shot of a camera slowly zooming out on a pumpkin. He wondered if there had been a mistake, or if the demolition tape had been recorded over it, but what came next clued him in on the kind of thing he could expect. There was a 'record scratching' sound effect, and a stranger's face replaced the jack-o-lantern. It was that Vampire from the library, if Tooth Fairy wasn't mistaken.

 _ **"Nope! This isn't that kind of horror flick. Hi, Kyle here, and I'm gonna be your tour guide on the journey of a lifetime. There will be elegant architecture...an inside-look at a lavish lifestyle...and we're gonna rain all over that parade, because that eyesore of a mansion is coming down!"**_

 _ **Robert, who was holding the camera, added, "It's gonna be one hell of a party!"**_

 _ **Kyle nodded, adjusting his 'Metallica' T-shirt. "Hell yeah, it will! I just want to give a shout-out to our new leader, Alpha, who came up with this idea...but let's be honest, with The Founders gone, you know that place was coming down! Harry's bringing a surprise for everyone, we have spray paint, sledge hammers, all kinds of stuff. And-"**_

 _ **There was the sound of a distant howl, and Kyle cut himself off. "Speaking of Alpha, there's the call. Come with me!"**_

Tooth Fairy, who had never heard Alpha howl before, felt the hair on his arms stand up. That was an eerie sound! Not for the first time, he found himself thinking he was glad she was friendly. On an unrelated note, he saw no family resemblance between Robert and Kyle, but their mannerisms were similar and he asked anyway, "Are you two related?"

"Pff, nah. We were frat brothers, and we got turned the same night, so we go way back. I guess we might as _well_ be brothers." Robert explained as the video cut to a shot of nearly the whole town gathered around the mansion.

Tooth Fairy noticed that there were no children there, so clearly this was an adults-only event. The sight of the mansion caused him to stiffen in his seat. He brushed the back of his hand against Alpha's, and she turned her hand palm-up, allowing him to take it. Okay...he was still okay. He had just gotten used to that building not being there.

 _ **Several bonfires lit the area around the mansion. Monsters of every description, from the stunningly beautiful to the horrifyingly macabre, to everything else in between, were adding pieces of broken furniture to the fire. All around were the sounds of talking, laughing, and even crying as they reveled in their new freedom. Food was being cooked on a few of the fires that weren't being used to burn The Founders' possessions, and Harry, the lead Sasquatch, directed his four sons in placing seven wooden crates on one of the nearby folding tables.**_

 _ **Alpha was talking to Punky near one of the bonfires, and she laughed at something he said before spotting Robert with the camera. Still laughing, she laid back her ears and stalked towards him. "Get that camera oot m'face!"**_

 _ **"Hey, don't break it; it's Kyle's!" Robert backpedaled, and the image jounced around before straightening again. "What do ya got planned?"**_

 _ **Alpha put her hands on her hips. "Tonight, we're takin' out everything we can, puttin' what looks valuable in storage, and destroyin' the rest. With so many people millin' about, and with all the broken glass and whatnot, this might get a bit dangerous. So, the Witches have banded together and cast a safety charm on the whole area around the mansion. Ye won't even need to wear a hard hat."**_

 _ **"What if we want to?" Robert demanded.**_

 _ **"Knock yerselves out." A beat, then she added, "Figuratively."**_

Tooth Fairy chuckled softly. "Bit camera shy?"

Alpha gave his hand a squeeze. "I just wasn't expectin' it right then."

 _ **Alpha turned and did a double-take at the crates, now open, and saw that each crate contained twenty-four brown bottles. "Where'd all that beer come from?"**_

 _ **Robert, still holding the camera, moved in to get a better view of the table. "Harry has an unauthorized microbrewery in his basement."**_

 _ **Harry overheard this and grinned, taking two bottles and popping the tops with his thumbs as he approached, and handing one to Alpha. "And there's more where that came from!"**_

 _ **Alpha took the bottle with a grin. "I knew there was a reason I liked ye, Harry!"**_

 _ **They clinked bottles and drank, and Robert brought the camera into the mansion. He walked across the planks that had been laid across the trapdoor in the foyer. The trapdoor was actually closed, but the planks would prevent an accident if someone stepped on the wrong tile and opened it. The camera shook again as Alpha moved past him, and he filmed her going up the stairs. "Where ya goin'?"**_

 _ **"I forgot something."**_

Tooth Fairy watched Alpha's interaction with Harry in amusement; it seemed the Sasquatch was a pretty easy-going guy, for someone who was eight feet tall and covered in long brown fur. He looked away when the inside of the mansion was shown, and cleared his throat. "Can you pause it for a minute?"

Robert did so without asking why. "You okay, bro?"

"Yeah, I just...gimme a sec." He stood up and moved off, then turned back. "It doesn't show the study, does it? Because if it does, just...warn me first, so I can leave the room."

Alpha shook her head gently. "It doesn't, luv. That's actually what I was going up to do; mark the door so no one would go in."

Tooth Fairy's racing heart began to slow again, and he glanced at Robert; the Vampire was tapping the end of a fresh cigarette against the pack to tamp down the tobacco, seemingly not paying attention. He sat down again and nodded. "Okay...Robert, I know it's your house, but could you hold off on that until we leave?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure." Robert laid it on the coffee table and took the remote again. "Here, why don't you hold onto that? You can pause it yourself."

Tooth Fairy took it with a nod, and pressed play again as Alpha discreetly rubbed his back.

 _ **Kyle had the camera again when Alpha came back, and the three of them were joined by a Witch and a Goblin who carried a can of spray paint in each hand.**_

 _ **The Goblin tossed one of them to Robert, and the Witch handed one to Alpha.**_

 _ **"All right!" Robert shook his can and uncapped it. "Time to improve the decor!"**_

 _ **The Witch, a teenaged girl with bubblegum-pink skin and curly black hair, looked uncertainly at Alpha. "We're really allowed to do this?"**_

 _ **"Well, just this once," Alpha replied.**_

 _ **"But...shouldn't we open a window? For the fumes?"**_

 _ **The Goblin, who was around the same age as the Witch, picked up a chair and smashed the window, causing Witch to jump. "Window's open."**_

 _ **Alpha looked off-camera at what Robert was spraying on the wall, and she burst out laughing. "That is not appropriate!"**_

 _ **"Why're you laughing, then?" he asked.**_

 _ **"I said it wasn't appropriate, I didn't say it wasn't funny!"**_

This last bit got a laugh out of Tooth Fairy, and when the camera panned to the right and he saw what Robert had drawn, he gasped and covered his mouth before laughing even harder.

Alpha talked over the on-screen banter, "Aye, there's a reason the children weren't allowed to attend. That, and the noise would've scared 'em."

He nodded, winding down from his laugh.

 _ **Ten minutes of very little discussion but quite a bit of destruction followed.**_

 _ **Harry and his brood punched and kicked several holes in the walls, while being warned to avoid load-bearing ones. "That's for sending my wife up there last Halloween."**_

 _ **A female Vampire took a sledgehammer to one of the many lavish bathrooms. The toilet and sink were shattered, and she was working on the tub and the wall tiles. "That's for keeping us trapped down here!"**_

 _ **Alpha cheered. "Get'm, lass!"**_

 _ **Kyle came out of a side room, carrying a huge crystal punch bowl above his head like a trophy. "Should I break it?"**_

 _ **"Yeah!" Robert hooted.**_

 _ **"Should I break it?!" Kyle roared.**_

 _ **"Yeeeaaaaahhh!" Robert roared back.**_

 _ **Everyone in the room started pumping their fists and chanting, "Break! It! Break! It! Break! It! Break! It!"**_

 _ **Kyle hurled the bowl against the only wall in the room that didn't have a hole in it, and it burst into a cloud of scintillating shards.**_

 _ **"Awooo!" howled Alpha as the room erupted in a chorus of rowdy cheering.**_

Tooth Fairy quietly observed the destruction with very mixed feelings. It reminded him of how he'd destroyed Viola's study in a fit of rage and grief, but more than that, there was an overwhelming feeling of savage joy that almost brought him to tears. Alpha's howl _did_ choke him up a little, because he understood better than anyone what was probably going through her head at the time. The bad as well as the good. He swallowed hard, and smiled. "I would've said 'no' if you somehow tracked me down and asked me...but I'm kinda sorry I missed it."

Alpha smiled back and leaned her head against his arm.

 _ **Alpha took the camera and went into another room, where things were being sifted through to determine their worth, and the camera picked up the sound of her snickering at Omen, who was sharpening his claws on an empty china cabinet. "Havin' fun?"**_

 _ **"It's nice to be able to do this without getting yelled at," the cat twitched his tail and bolted out of the room.**_

 _ **Alpha traveled from room to room, saying nothing for a time, and simply capturing the action.**_

 _ **Someone took the camera as she shook her can of spray paint and approached an oil painting of The Founders. It wasn't the same painting as the one in the study; they were in a different pose. She popped the cap off the can and blackened out both of their faces. "Tae match yer hearts, ye wee bastards..."**_

 _ **The camera cut to several days later, and the mansion was mostly ransacked. Once more, Alpha had the camera and was bringing it down the grand staircase. "I think that's just about everything we could find that was worth taking out. I'll make a final sweep o' the place in a bit."**_

 _ **From outside, Kyle called importantly, "Bring the camera! It's window-breaking time!"**_

 _ **"Keep yer shirt on, laddie!"**_

Robert explained, "Not a lot of interesting stuff happened in the days in between. The excitement kinda wore off after a while, and it turned into work. We weren't even talking much. This is about when it started to get fun again.

"Okay," Tooth Fairy shrugged, then paused the video. "Just how _did_ you knock the place down? Don't tell me you have the equipment for that down here, because I _know_ you don't."

"You'll see," Alpha smiled, and he unpaused again.

 _ **The scene cut back to the group outside, and Robert had the camera again. Alpha sat on a large, flat-topped boulder, and three empty beer bottles sat beside her as she sipped from the fourth. An old wooden chest sat at the foot of the boulder, and she was staring pensively down at it. Robert tapped her on the arm. "Hey."**_

 _ **"Hm?"**_

 _ **"So, that new friend of yours, the guy with the wings. Think he'll show up for the grand finale?" Robert asked.**_

 _ **Alpha shook her head. "I don't know where he is now, and I got no way o' contactin' him."**_

 _ **"That sucks."**_

 _ **Alpha didn't respond, unless one counted a blink.**_

 _ **"Drunk yet?"**_

 _ **"Pff...no, I'd have tae drink the whole supply to even get buzzed, and I cannae hold that much." she replied.**_

 _ **"Your accent's thicker than your skull all of a sudden." Robert went on, ignoring her narrowed eyes. "You were laughing before, what's up?"**_

 _ **"Just thinkin'."**_

 _ **"Thinkin' while ya drinkin'?"**_

 _ **Alpha polished off her fourth beer and went to put the empties in the return bin to be used again at some point.**_

 _ **"Oookay, then." Robert drawled, and the scene skipped again.**_

Tooth Fairy didn't have to ask what she had been thinking about. That place held bad memories for both of them, and he knew what was in that chest. He wondered if she was remembering her family. Or maybe she was remembering how he broke down and cried on her shoulder after they found Brinna's wings. Probably both.

Alpha scratched her nose. "I wish you'd cut that part out..."

"Too late now," Robert shrugged, but he did seem apologetic.

 _ **Alpha had another bottle in her hand as she watched the few stragglers who wanted to see this through to the end throw rocks at the mansion's windows. Punky stood at her side, neither of them saying a word, until Robert came over with something in his hand.**_

 _ **"Hey!"**_

 _ **"Aye?"**_

 _ **"I'll bet you can't break three windows with one throw!" Robert held out his hand, which contained three small rocks, each about the size of a golf ball.**_

 _ **Alpha looked at the rocks, then back up at Robert, and then she smirked. "Haud m'beer an' watch this!"**_

 _ **Robert took the bottle and passed her the rocks before turning to face the camera. "Tell ya what, Kyle, if she makes this shot, I'll eat those rocks."**_

 _ **Kyle laughed.**_

 _ **Crash-crash-crash!**_

 _ **Alpha laughed. "Hope ye brought yer appetite, fang-face!"**_

 _ **Robert turned back. "Hey, it doesn't count if I didn't see it!"**_

 _ **"Oi! Kyle, did ye get it on film?"**_

 _ **"Yeah," Kyle snickered. "Sorry, Rob."**_

 _ **"Well, that wasn't part of the bet, so I'm not eating those rocks."**_

 _ **Alpha waved a hand. "Relax, I wasnae serious."**_

 _ **"Well, do it again, I wanna see it this time," Robert handed her three more.**_

 _ **She took the rocks and moved off to find three more windows.**_

 _ **Crash-crash-tak!**_

 _ **One of the rocks just missed, bouncing off the side of the window pane. Alpha snapped her fingers, turned to the camera, and made a pinching motion as she mouthed, 'this close'.**_

Tooth Fairy had a feeling they were nearing the end of the video, and he was actually a little disappointed that there wasn't more to it. "Nice throw."

Robert leaned over and said in a stage whisper, "He means the first one."

Alpha put a hand over Robert's face and playfully pushed him away. "Ha ha."

 _ **Another skip, and Kyle slowly panned the camera around at the small group of about twenty-five. "So, we're about done. We're just waiting on the Goblins to bring up the explosives. The Witches should all be here soon. We're gonna need another protection spell for this one."**_

 _ **"Yeah," Robert sat on an overturned crate. "When do you think Alpha will wanna knock down the other nine houses?"**_

 _ **"I dunno. It's been a busy week."**_

 _ **The scene changed, and Alpha was speaking in a mutter as she filmed her trip through the mansion. "The Goblins just finished setting things up. Charges have been placed, and if all goes as planned, that'll be it for this place. I'm just doing one last walk-through to make sure no one's still inside. You know, I have to tell ye...it's goin' tae be weird not seein' this place up here. I never thought I'd see the inside of it, that's for sure. And I'm glad I won't have to see it ever again. It's enough to make ye sick...how we had to live, and how they got to live. I don't need much, don't get me wrong...but who needs all this? How much o' this could have gone towards...I don't know, fixing up the buildings that're fallin' apart, or...getting better medicine, nicer clothes? I just don't understand it...how anyone can be so greedy. I mean...if some of us who can pass for human went up and sold what we took from in here, the stuff that wasn't worthless junk, it could keep this place going for years, and it just makes me sick."**_

Tooth Fairy put his arm around Alpha, whose face was blank as she remembered. He saw Robert wearing a similar expression, and it didn't look right on the goofy Vampire's face. These people really _had_ suffered. _All_ of them. How much of their joking around was a facade to hide the pain they'd endured? And yet, now that he was learning more about them and meeting more of them, in some ways they were more welcoming to him than his own town was. Once they got over the fact that he was an outsider, they simply accepted him as he was and treated him with respect, which was more than he could say for many of the Fairies he knew!

" _ **I'm still not satisfied with how The Council of Legendary Figures handled them, but...at least, wherever they are, they can't do anymore harm. Well...that's the last room, and the only one in here is me. Time to leave."**_

 _ **The scene jumped again, and this time the mansion stood in the far distance with all the lights on. Several of the stone gargoyles had somehow been knocked off of the roof, and every square inch of the exterior was covered with some form of graffiti. From such a distance, the profanity couldn't be made out.**_

 _ **The rest of the town had gathered once more to say good riddance to the home of their former oppressors. It was unclear who held the camera now, but at the front of the group, in silhouette, was a line of familiar figures. Kyle. Harry. Harry's four sons. Pearl, with Omen on her shoulder. Robert. Punky. James the Skeleton. And, finally, Alpha.**_

 _ **Canon in D began to play, but then the slow electric guitar notes made it was obvious that this wasn't the original version. What followed was a montage, starting with a silhouette headshot of each of the people in the front row. The shot cut to the mansion itself as the implosion began in slow motion. Then the music sped up!**_

 _ **Interspersed with footage of the mansion collapsing to the ground, shots of the destruction leading up to it were spliced in; footage that had already been shown, and footage that hadn't.**_

 _ **A Goblin boy breaking a window for ventilation.**_

 _ **Robert making an obscene spray paint doodle on the wall.**_

 _ **The Sasquatch family turning the walls into swiss cheese.**_

 _ **Alpha taking a sledge hammer to an enormous statue of a griffon.**_

 _ **The Vampiress demolishing the bathroom.**_

 _ **Omen jumping from a high shelf and shredding the curtains on his way down, reminiscent of Errol Flynn in 'Captain Blood'.**_

 _ **Kyle breaking the punch bowl.**_

 _ **Alpha defacing a portrait of The Founders.**_

 _ **Pearl and Punky lighting furniture on fire outside, Pearl with her magic and Punky with his fire breath.**_

 _ **Alpha and several others standing outside, throwing stones through the few unbroken windows that remained.**_

 _ **James standing on one leg and using his own femur to break the small, hollow lion statues that stood on either side of the front door.**_

 _ **Robert smashing a crate open, only to find that it contained wooden stakes...then Robert being led away by Alpha, one hand over his eyes and his mouth twisted in a grimace of anguish.**_

 _ **Punky setting the stakes ablaze with his breath while, blurry in the background, Kyle sits with an arm around Robert's shoulders as the latter sobs.**_

 _ **Alpha casually raking her claws along the wallpaper as she walks down a hall, leaving five long slashes in her wake.**_

 ** _Four clips of Robert going to town with an axe, demolishing a table, a mantelpiece, a couch, and finally the china cabinet._**

 _ **Kyle sitting down to take a break.**_

 _ **And then the montage faded out, and the slow-motion collapse of the mansion resumed its normal speed. The massive cloud of dust met an invisible dome, and as the mansion temporarily became invisible the group in the front stood in a line with their arms around each other's shoulders and waists. When the muffled rumbling ended, the Witches caused the dome-like shield to compress the dust until it lay safely on the ground.**_

 _ **The music came to an end.**_

 _ **Alpha heaved a deep sigh. "Take that, ye wee bastards."**_

 _ **"Screw you." Robert growled, flipping off the pile of rubble.**_

 _ **Punky looked from left to right; the only indication of this was that the crooked pumpkin stem on top of his head changed direction. "So...now what?"**_

 _ **Alpha chuckled. "I don't know about you, but I'm goin' home. And they're not!"**_

 _ **A chuckle swept through the group, and the townspeople dispersed.**_

Tooth Fairy was speechless as the tape ended. He was still trying to process everything he had seen. None of them said a word as Robert went up to the VCR and ejected the tape to put it away. Alpha wiped away a tear, but she also wore a smirk.

Finally, Tooth Fairy nodded. "That was really somethin' else. I get that it's pretty personal, so...thanks for showing me."

"It's personal, dude. But if you guys hadn't been there to help us kick their asses, we'd still be where we were before. You woulda been welcome to join in, but...yeah, I get why you wouldn't have wanted to." Robert folded his arms as he leaned against the wall. He was eyeing his cigarette, but keeping his promise. "I had family on the surface, you know. After we end up here, we..."

Tooth Fairy waited for Robert to continue, but he didn't. "You can't see them anymore..."

Robert shook his head. "Not unless we want to turn them. I didn't want it for myself. Why would I want it for them?"

"I can't even imagine." Tooth Fairy shook his head.

Robert finally smiled. "I can't imagine your sitch either, bro. We all got somethin'. Anyway, I'm really jonesing for a smoke."

Tooth Fairy and Alpha took the hint and got up, and Alpha surprised Robert by giving him a brief hug. Tooth Fairy didn't do the same, but he held out his hand, and the Vampire shook it before clapping him on the arm.

"Later, Wingman. Alpha coulda done a lot worse."

"Thanks..." Tooth Fairy's brow furrowed, and he gave Alpha a wry look. "I think."

Alpha and Tooth Fairy left Robert's house and strolled through the streets. They found each other's hands and walked along in silence, emotionally drained but content.

 _I needed to see that. There's no way I could've handled being there and seeing it in person, but at least I got to see that place fall. Brinna, did you see it? Were you there, somehow? I hope so. We got 'em, little sister. We got 'em._

Of course, no reply was forthcoming, and he caught Alpha watching him with a concerned look on her face.

"Are you all right?" She squeezed his hand.

He squeezed back. "Yeah. Must've felt great to take a sledgehammer to the place."

"My shoulder from the next day would disagree," she smiled. "But yes. Um...Roy, why don't we skip the journals for today and come back to them another time?"

He sighed, having no name for most of the things he was feeling at the moment, but two words stood front and center; 'tired' and 'satisfied'. Reading those journals on top of this vicarious release would be a very big mistake. "You read my mind."

 _Note:_ _So, this chapter was a bit of an emotional roller coaster for these guys, but TF finally got some closure as far as the mansion is concerned. I might have to bring Kyle back at some point! He just sort of popped into my head and asserted himself._


	18. Chapter 18: Letting Go

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _TF brings up the subject of the journals, and Alpha invites him over. She summarizes what she's read so far, and TF takes a_ _ **huge**_ _step forward in his recovery. Feels alert!_

"Chapter 18: Letting Go"

March 10th

After letting the subject of the journals rest for two more days, Tooth Fairy grew impatient and called Alpha to see where she stood on the matter.

"Hey, Roy. You're up earlier than usual." It was eleven in the morning.

"Hey, Alpha. Yeah, I couldn't sleep. Listen, I was wondering if you're free to look at something." Tooth Fairy drummed his fingers on a small notebook he had bought the day before.

"Sure," Alpha sounded like she was rummaging around in her cabinets, possibly for an early lunch. "I'm at home, so you can just go ahead and bring it on over if ye want."

"Uhh..." Tooth Fairy licked his lips. "Actually, I can't. _You_ have them."

The clattering of crockery instantly stopped. "...Oh."

Tooth Fairy sat on his new couch; the old one was long overdue to be replaced, and after absorbing a day's worth of fever sweat it was time. Remembering how patient she had been with him on many occasions, he didn't want to push her, but he also didn't want their mutual promise to be used in some kind of power play. Would she really put off reading them herself to keep _him_ from reading them? He doubted it, but he already knew how protective she was of him, because he was just as protective of her. "We don't have to do it today. We don't even have to do it tomorrow, or the next day. But I do have some questions, if that's okay."

"Aye," Alpha found her voice again. "No, we can do it today. I just needed a break from them myself."

"Okay. You sure this is a good time?" He put his shoes on.

Alpha closed a cabinet and was heard running the water. "Today's good. I don't want to jinx myself, but things are slowing down again. Have ye eaten? Pearl dropped off some homemade bagels this morning."

Tooth Fairy brightened; he liked bagels. Knowing that they didn't really have much in the way of dairy products down there due to the lack of cows, he offered, "Cool, I'll bring the cream cheese."

"All right, I'll see ye in a bit."

* * *

Alpha didn't own a toaster, and she hoped he wouldn't mind cold bagels. The small chest of journals sat underneath her table, and her eyes kept straying in that direction as she waited for Tooth Fairy to show up. _I wish I hadn't told him about them. I should have known that he'd never let it be. Hell, I wish we hadn't found these in the first place..._

Someone knocked at the door while she was slicing the bagels, and she was privately glad that she had chosen to do it on a cutting board, rather than in her hand, because the way she jumped she probably would have cut herself. "It's open."

Tooth Fairy came in with a small tub of cream cheese, which he set down on the table as she came over to greet him. He also had a notebook and pen in his other hand, which he totally forgot about when she kissed him.

"What's the notebook for?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh! Tell ya later," He winked and put the notebook and pen down as well, and his attention was drawn to the chest, which was just visible from where he stood. His smile was quickly replaced by a look of surprise. "You brought them _here?_ When?"

Alpha could see that he half suspected her of breaking her promise, and she reassured him. "Yesterday. I didn't read them. I just thought this would be more convenient. _And_ more private, because I don't know how it's goin' tae go..."

He nodded, feeling guilty for having doubted her. "Oh. And you won't read them when I'm not here, right?" He still had to ask.

Again, Alpha shook her head. "You'll just have to trust me. I promised. If it means someone's safety, I will absolutely break a promise, but when I give my word I try to keep it."

 _Someone's safety._ That could mean so many things. But he had no concrete reasons to disbelieve her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything..."

"No, I'd probably ask you the same thing if our positions were switched." Alpha smiled tiredly; _she_ hadn't slept well, either. "But that's for later. How 'bout some breakfast?"

"Love some," he smiled, glad that he hadn't gone too far.

"I'm afraid I don't have a toaster..." Alpha plated their bagels and brought them over to the table. "I have apple butter, if you want some."

"Ooh, sure!"

They fixed their bagels to their liking, and Tooth Fairy tapped the cover of the notebook with his index finger. "So, I had an idea, if you wanna hear it."

"'Course I do. What's your idea?" Alpha leaned forward to hear.

"Well, first I gotta ask, did you write down any of what you read so far?" he asked, starting in on his bagel. The tart sweetness of the apple butter made for a nice contrast with the cream cheese, and even though he was already thinking that he would have to brush his teeth and wondering if she would think it was weird if he excused himself to do that, for now he was enjoying himself.

She swallowed a bite of her bagel and nodded, wiping her mouth. "Aye. Not that there was much worth writing down, aside from a few pointers here and there. We're keeping the currency system for now, such as it is. There's more resources to go around, now that The Founders aren't here to waste so much of it, so we're actually doing quite well in that respect. Mother Nature deserves a lot of the credit; our crops are doing better than they ever have before, so a lot of us are canning like mad. I have the notes I took in the chest, but they're on loose leaf paper. You can copy them down, if ye want."

Tooth Fairy shook his head. "Nahhh, why make extra work for ourselves? We can just stick what you have in the front cover and go from there, if that's okay. But as you probably guessed, I thought we could keep track of any useful information in here."

"That's a _fine_ idea. We'll do that, then."

"Okay." He nodded. Then, hesitating, he lowered his voice. "Uh...have you written down any of the other stuff?"

Alpha put down her half-eaten bagel and had a sip of water. "No...I didn't see much point. It's not useful to The Hollow, and who would want tae read this tripe?"

"You mean besides us?" he polished off half of his bagel and started in on the other half.

"Right...Besides, it's not something I'm likely to forget anytime soon," Alpha had about a quarter of her bagel left, but she wasn't hungry anymore. "Ye want the rest?"

He shook his head. "No thanks, I'm fine with this. Trying to cut back. And you can keep the cream cheese, if you want. I have another container in my fridge."

"Are ye sure?"

"Yeah, save me the trouble of breakin' my back carrying it home." he grinned.

" _Now_ you're just being cute," She laughed. He was able to carry at least one passenger halfway around the world without breaking a sweat. "Thanks."

"Uh-huh," he nodded, then got to his feet when she did and picked up his own plate when she reached for it. "Nah, I got it. Lemme help ya wash up."

"Always a gentleman."

He took her hand and kissed it, then waggled his eyebrows. "Not _always._ "

"Fresh!" She pretended like she was going to slap his cheek, pulling it at the last second so that it was only a light pat, and they laughed as they got to work.

Alpha put the remainder of her bagel and the cream cheese in her tiny office fridge for later, and they took care of the dishes in short order; she washed them, and he dried them and put them away. Then she reluctantly focused on the reason he came. "I guess ye want to get started."

He brushed his hand along her back as he passed her, but he knew better than to pull out her chair for her. She liked it when he opened doors for her, but had seemed a little bit confused when he'd done _that._ Perhaps no one had ever done it for her before, and she hadn't known why he was doing it. Maybe it just wasn't done here. Either way, although she had thanked him at the time, he hadn't done it again. "Yeah, if that's okay."

Alpha nodded, moving her chair so that she was sitting beside him. "All right...I'm about half-way through the third one."

"How many are there altogether?"

"Thirteen."

He mildly raised his eyebrows and rested an arm on the table as he turned to face her fully. "That's...wonderfully creepy..."

"Well, welcome to The Hollow."

"Heh."

Alpha mirrored his posture and continued, "No doubt there'd have been more if Viola was consistent with her entries. There are large gaps, so who can say what happened in between? She also did a lot of patting herself on the back. Avery was bad enough, but he mostly just did as she told him."

"Uh-huh..." Tooth Fairy couldn't help but feel angry at the mention of their names, and the dull purple glow of his hands drew their eyes downwards. Simple annoyance _never_ caused this reaction in a Fairy, or in someone who possessed Fairy magic for whatever reason; it was always provoked by seething anger, and was completely involuntary. "Uh...just ignore that, it's fine."

She didn't ignore it, but she didn't comment on it either. She reached her hand across the table and laid it on top of his, and as she continued to speak the glow slowly faded. "Well, you know about Halloween already. I told you about what they had us do and why. So...we're not revealing ourselves to the humans anymore. Well...not on purpose, anyway."

"You're not?" He was privately glad to hear that. Sometimes secrecy was best.

"No...too dangerous. For us, _and_ for them." She took her hand back, and had a sip from her glass. "So...I'll just sum it all up, shall I?"

"Okay," Tooth Fairy began to play with his dental floss, slowly threading it between his finger and thumb over and over instead of winding it.

Alpha took a breath to steel herself and went down her mental checklist. "They got bored a lot. And when they got bored, they liked to mess with us. They had quite the rumor mill going early on. Pitting one friend against another...driving apart entire families if they were in the mood for a change. Mind you, I still haven't shown up in the journals yet, so I didn't witness any of what I read about. But it was still going on after I got here, at least with the newbies. I started warnin' newcomers when they arrived, and The Founders didn't like that."

"What did they do?" he asked gently.

"Nothin' to _me,_ " She looked away, and after a moment she continued, "I don't have any confirmation o' this, mind ye...but thinkin' back, the ones I gave a heads-up to were usually among those who disappeared on Halloween Night. There was always a snide little comment to me from one sibling or the other, and I thought they were just bein'...well, _them_. Now I think they sent 'em up to die, just tae punish me...and I just didn't put two and two together."

" _Jeez..._ " he whispered, appalled. "Alpha, that wasn't your fault."

" _Wasn't_ it?" She looked up at him.

" _No..._ "

She wasn't convinced, but she didn't argue with him. She had another sip of water and went on. "They also wanted to keep the Vampire population from getting too large. Remember that crate of wooden stakes from the tape?"

Tooth Fairy could feel himself getting pale. "That explains why Robert was so upset when he found 'em..."

She nodded. "Several close friends of his have simply turned up missing. We don't know for sure what happened to them, but I think it's a pretty safe bet."

"Man...the poor guy..." Tooth Fairy shook his head. Robert was becoming more of a sympathetic figure to him by now, as annoying as he was.

"Do ye know what this place _really_ was, other than a way to get back at Santa?" Alpha's own hands had begun to glow now, and when he shook his head, she told him. "The Hollow was a _terrarium_. We were the animals, and we were here for their amusement. This was a psychopath's playground, and _we_ were the toys."

Tooth Fairy lowered his forehead to his hand, then rubbed his face. He _knew_ this was painful for her to talk about. It was painful for him to hear it, but he listened anyway. This was what he had signed up for.

Alpha lightly touched his shoulder. "Roy? I'm sorry...Should I stop?"

He shook his head and lowered his hand. "I'm here to listen, remember?" Then, seeing that she was still skeptical, he nodded. "I can take it."

She sighed through her nose. "That was it, actually...It's all just more of the same."

 _Except for the beginning,_ He thought. He looked down at the chest, then back up at her. He was ready. "Can I see it now?"

"The first journal?" Alpha blinked; she hadn't expected him to ask that right _then_. Maybe at some point, but not so soon.

"I need to know what happened, Alpha. I _have_ to know. Not just what I put together, but what _happened._ "

Alpha put her foot on top of the chest in a preemptive move to keep him from opening it, something he noticed but didn't mention, and she tried one last time to shield him from it. "Listen, Roy...I know we made promise, and I mean to keep it. Just hear me out first."

He turned this over in his mind, and it seemed reasonable. "I'm listening."

Alpha reached out and took both his hands in hers, wanting to make sure he knew how serious this was. "As you probably guessed, the first journal starts with The Founders meeting your sister. Now, skipping ahead to what they did to her...I read through it, and when I got to the end of it I was sick. She described _everything._ From what they did to how it felt to them when they did it. And if you read _that_...I'm telling you...it's goin' tae set you _way_ back. It won't bring ye peace. All it can do is hurt ye."

Tooth Fairy's mind flashed back to the vision he had the first time he touched one of the mushrooms in a Fairy Ring upon arrival, and a horrifying epiphany came to him. Had Brinna been showing him the moment of her death? Had she been trying to let him know that she was still there, and that she was still in pain?

"-all right? Roy? _Roy!_ "

Alpha's voice filtered through the buzzing in his head, and he felt her hands take gentle hold of his face. He blinked a few times, coming back to reality, and he realized that he'd forgotten to breathe. "Yeah...no, I don't...I don't need to read that part."

He reached up and gently removed her hands, but kissed one of them so that she wouldn't get the wrong idea and think he was rejecting her comfort.

"No...you _really_ don't."

Tooth Fairy took a deep breath and drank some water to steady himself. If he got this upset just from hearing the Reader's Digest version of his sister's death, sans the gory details, he knew he wouldn't be able to read through the rest of it. That didn't mean he didn't want to _know,_ though, and he asked, "What about the stuff in between? Could you, uh...maybe, sum it up for me?"

"Aye, I can do that," Alpha nodded. "Well...The Hollow used to have an entrance on the surface, which The Founders later sealed. Before your sister met The Founders, this used to be _her_ secret place to go when she wanted to be on her own."

"She never even told me she _had_ a place like that..." he murmured, feeling rather hurt by that.

"We all have our secrets," Alpha told him, fingering the old locket around her neck. "I'm sure you probably had a few secrets from her."

"I can't think of any," he shook his head. "but I guess it doesn't matter now. Go on..."

Alpha took a moment to make sure she had the details straight in her mind. "All right...Now, at the meeting, the one where The Founders were sentenced, Viola lied to you."

 _That_ piqued his interest. "What about?"

Alpha took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "That bit where she said your sister told them you only cared about yourself. Brinna _never_ said that. Viola just wanted to hurt you."

His breath whooshed out of his lungs as if she had punched him in the stomach, but a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and he didn't realize he was squeezing her hand too hard until her forehead creased and she said in a strained voice, "Easy, luv. I know I've got another, but..."

" _Oh,_ sorry," he kissed her knuckles and willed his heart to slow down. "Sorry, I'm okay. What else?"

Alpha kept her grip on his hand, as he hadn't released hers and seemed to need this, and she resumed her account of Brinna's story. "She met them on the road one day, months after they were denied employment in Santa's workshop. Asked them what their trouble was. And they fed her some sob story about having nowhere to go. So, she showed them _her_ place. And when they saw it, they decided that they wanted it, and that they could turn this place into...well, you know that part already."

He nodded, a little misty now, but doing well so far. "That's something she'd do...She was always bringing home stray cats, injured baby birds...Used to drive our parents crazy..."

"Aye..." Alpha whispered. "You all right?"

He bobbed his head once, but his lips tightened. This was something he needed, but it was still hard for him to swallow, and when he couldn't find his voice he nodded again, urging her to finish the story.

"Well...you came up in conversation, and...this next part might be harder for ye than the rest," She warned him, then when he nodded to show his consent she brought the story to a close. "Brinna told them about her brother...the one she had _wronged._ Her words, not mine. She told them that she was waiting here for your anger to pass. She had been here for about a month, just biding her time, and she thought...maybe...it was time to try to speak with you again. She was going to leave. And she told them this...and they didn't like it. They had her blessing to stay here, but...they wanted more. And when she turned to leave...that's when it happened, luv."

Tooth Fairy closed his eyes, and a tear fell from each one to stain the front of his vest. He felt Alpha's hands cradle his face, and he blindly pulled her into a hug. "I need one of these..."

Alpha gathered him close and kissed the side of his head. "I've got ye...And I think that's enough for today. I'm sorry..."

" _I'm_ not. It was bad enough, knowing where our fight ended up..." He sighed, feeling the guilt and bitterness drain out of him. "...but I thought she _hated_ me. And I never got to say _goodbye_. I never got to say _'I'm sorry'_...to take it all back, everything I said, but...we _would_ have made up. We would have been all right. If it just wasn't for _them._ But that was _them..._ not me..."

Alpha smiled, cheering him on in her head. This was what he needed to do. "Then say it."

"Say what?"

"You know."

He thought about it. He thought long and hard. And then it clicked, and he was _sobbing_. "It...it w-wasn't...It wasn't my _fault!_ "

"That's right..." Alpha rocked him as he had done for her, "That's right, luv...It wasn't your fault. Let it out, it's all right..."

So, he did.

His sister had forgiven him. And, finally, he could forgive himself.

 _Note:_ _Okay, I_ _ **honestly**_ _did not plan for TF to cry at the end of this chapter! But it's more relief than grief this time around. Given the info he was getting, I just couldn't find a way to swing it where he ended up all stoic. I approached his reaction several different ways that didn't involve him crying, but they just didn't feel organic to me. Alpha's getting the sucker punch next chapter, and then they come to a decision. Hope you enjoyed it!_


	19. Chapter 19: Dark Past

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _TF, who still hasn't slept yet, crashes at Alpha's place after he calms down. They tackle the journals again the next day after he's worked and slept again, and they get more than what they bargained for. He knows his own limits in terms of what he can and can't handle, and he always has, but Alpha sometimes has trouble with that. While TF isn't the controlling type, he finally decides that enough is enough. Just a warning, the subject matter later in this chapter is_ _ **very**_ _dark and disturbing, and deals with Alpha's past. I'm seriously considering changing the rating to 'M' due to minor character death and other things that might be emotionally upsetting. Starts out with fluff, ends with 'holy crap'. You've been warned!_

"Chapter 19: Dark Past"

March 10th

Tooth Fairy, already somewhat tired from not having slept that day, was exhausted by the time he was quiet again. He hadn't cried this hard since that night on the rooftop, but the reason for it was entirely different, and now he felt _so_ much better. Still, he was in no hurry to let go of Alpha, and she didn't seem inclined to rush him. In fact, her gentle rocking was having quite a soothing effect on him, and he didn't even realize he was falling asleep until his arms slid down from her back. The weight of them falling jolted him, and he snapped fully awake once more.

Alpha wiped his cheeks with her hands when he sat back and blinked. "Did ye fall asleep?"

"Sorry..." He sniffled, rifling through his pockets for a hankie, but he'd forgotten to grab one before work the night before, and he accepted the one she offered and blew his nose with a loud 'honk'. He noticed in passing that it was actually one of his. Really, at this point, each of them had a few of the other's, and neither of them really cared. "I didn't sleep today..."

"You're goin' tae be a zombie at work tonight..." She told him.

"I know...It wouldn't be the first time." He stuffed the used hankie in his pocket and rubbed his red eyes as he rested his elbows on the table. He knew he should go home and sleep, but...

Alpha could see how tired he was, and she noticed that he was making no attempt to get up and leave. She rubbed his back a little. "Why don't ye go get some sleep?"

His heart sank at the thought of going back to his empty house, and he shook his head.

"Why not?" She asked softly.

"Well, it's embarrassing..." He mumbled.

"Just tell me. Nightmares?"

He shook his head.

"Then what?"

Tooth Fairy rubbed his face, unable to look at her as he reluctantly did as she asked. "I don't wanna be alone, okay?"

"Well, who says ye _have_ to?" Alpha smiled, and she elaborated when he gave her a confused look. "I mean, my bed's not as comfortable as yours, but you can rest here if ye want. I can wake you up so you can be ready for work on time. What do ye reckon?"

This caught him by surprise, and he nearly said 'no thanks' out of simple reflex. No one had ever made him an offer like that before, and he didn't quite know how to respond at first.

"One way or another, you need to sleep," Alpha reasoned, "And if ye need company too, here I am. It's up to you."

He smiled and he shook his head. "How'd I get so lucky?"

"I take it that's a yes?" Alpha smiled back.

He nodded, then hesitated before asking, "You mind if I go brush my teeth?"

 _He's the only man I know who carries a toothbrush and toothpaste with him whenever he goes somewhere._ Alpha shook her head; it was admittedly a bit of a weird habit, but she _liked_ his little quirks. Lord knew she had a few of her own! "Not if you don't mind a bit o' light. I thought I'd just read a book to pass the time. One of _those,_ I mean," She pointed at her bookshelf to clarify.

He nodded and gave her a peck on the cheek as he got up. When he went to brush his teeth, he got a good look at his own face in her bathroom mirror and winced. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his face was red and blotchy from crying. _Man, do I look awful..._

Alpha came over with an Agatha Christie novel after he got settled under the quilt, and asked, "Mind if I join ye?"

If he wasn't so tired, and if there wasn't an unspoken understanding that they wouldn't take things any further than kissing for now, he would have thought this was going in another direction and been torn between excitement and panic. He had no experience, and she had made it clear that she wasn't ready to take that step either, so his mind didn't even go there. Instead, he scooted over to welcome her company and gave a little snort of amusement. "It's your bed."

Alpha kicked off her shoes and sat up in bed beside him as he turned to face the wall, his head resting on her only pillow. Because of his wings, he couldn't just roll onto his back and over to his other side without risking one of them getting pinched in the process; instead, he had to switch sides by turning onto his belly. Alpha hadn't noticed this when she'd stayed at his house when he was sick, but to be fair, she had been asleep herself.

But he _didn't_ fall asleep. He lay with his eyes shut, listening to the occasional quiet rustle of Alpha turning a page, but something nagged at him. After about twenty minutes of him trying without success to sleep, he heaved a quiet sigh. "Wouldn't ya know it..."

"Can't sleep?" She guessed.

"No...S'kinda silly, and I never told anyone this before, but I'm used to hugging a pillow..." He admitted, and internally cringed; this was a pathetic thing for a guy to do, much less admit to! Or, at least, he supposed it was. He _did_ hear her chuckle, but somehow he got the feeling she wasn't laughing _at_ him.

"So, pretend _I'm_ a pillow," She suggested.

"What?" He craned his neck to look back at her, unsure if she was kidding or not.

"Well, ye did it before," She gently teased, nudging his back.

"That was by accident, and so did _you._ " He rolled his eyes, but it was an attractive offer. Like her, he was a hugger, and he still kind of needed one. He turned towards her again and draped his arm over her waist as he snuggled up against her side. "You sure you're okay with this?"

"You're my boyfriend," She put her arm across his back; from that angle, her arm lay between his wings, and her hand rested on his side. "I'm pretty sure this is allowed. Not putting pressure on your wings, am I?"

"Mm-mmm..." He mumbled as sleep loomed, turning the word over in his mind. _'Boyfriend' huh?...I guess it's official now._ "I, uh..."

"Hm?" Alpha, who had just turned her attention back to her book, looked back down and raised an eyebrow.

He chickened out. "Nothin'. Night."

"Night."

March 11th

One o'clock found Alpha at home, sweeping her floor. She hadn't slept well at all, and had decided to take a personal day to recharge a little. This left Harry in charge for the time being, but he had orders to report to her if her presence was needed for something important. Now, as she came back in from sweeping the dust out the front door, her eyes strayed to the chest of journals.

Tooth Fairy had woken up in much better spirits the night before, and before he left to get ready for work he told her he could come over at around two o'clock the next afternoon to read through the journals with her, if she still wanted to do that. When she expressed reluctance to let him look, he reminded her of their promise, and she finally agreed.

Alpha didn't want to read them anymore, and yet she felt _compelled_ to. As long as those journals existed, she would always be drawn to what was inside. And, blast Tooth Fairy's intuition, he _knew_ it. She didn't want him to see her break, and she had a feeling that when she reached a certain part she _would_ break. She could simply put the journals in storage, never going near them again, couldn't she?

No. No, she couldn't.

And he knew she wouldn't. So, he was coming over, and he probably _was_ going to see her at her worst despite her efforts to 'play normal'. What a fine mess...

 _Maybe I can read ahead before he gets here..._

It seemed like a victimless crime. She would know what was coming anyway, or so she thought, so what was the harm in taking one little peek? _He_ would never know.

Alpha turned resolutely away from the chest and picked up her Agatha Christie novel.

 _But_ _ **I'd**_ _know._

* * *

Alpha fumbled her book and dropped it when someone knocked on the door. "Who is it?"

Tooth Fairy pitched his voice lower than usual. "It's the boogeyman! Mwa-ha-ha-ha!"

She laughed as she retrieved her book and marked her page. "Can't be; he's on vacation. C'mon in, Roy."

He came in, looking rather surprised. "You mean there really _is_ a boogeyman?"

"No, I'm just teasin' ye," she waved a hand, and they exchanged a kiss. "The legend doesn't really give 'him' a specific appearance. The boogeyman is just a concept the humans came up with to scare their kids into good behavior. So, you could say everyone in this place is 'the boogeyman' in a way. How was your night?"

"It was fine." He frowned as he got a good look at her face. The last time he had seen her look anything like this was the day she'd almost fainted. That was the same day he'd learned how badly The Hollow was doing at the time. She didn't look nearly as bad now as she did then, but even so, he wondered if it was wise to continue with this course of action. Was this healthy, what they were getting ready to do? "Did you sleep at all last night?"

She shrugged. "I dozed on and off. It's getting a little bit closer to the full moon. I always have trouble sleeping then."

He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "That's not until the twenty-ninth."

Alpha rolled her eyes and tapped his arm as she passed him on her way to the sink. "Trust me, if anyone knows when the full moon is, _I_ do."

Tooth Fairy folded his arms. "But I'm right; the full moon _is_ on the twenty-ninth. Today's only the eleventh. And _you're_ being evasive. Is everything okay?"

She offered him a glass of water, which he accepted, and got one for herself. "Nothing _happened,_ if that's what you mean. But going by the dates in the journal I'm currently reading, it's getting pretty close to when I arrived here..."

Which meant they were getting close to the deaths of her mate and son. Seeing the way she looked now, he was _really_ having second thoughts about this. "Alpha?"

"Aye?"

"We don't have to _do_ this, you know."

He went to take her hand, but she pulled back and turned away to dump her water down the drain. "No, _you_ don't have to do this. You didn't work for them."

"Alpha, you don't _have_ to-" He reared back his head as she put down her glass and rounded on him, but she didn't raise her voice, nor did she look angry. She looked _haunted._ Was this the kind of guilt she had seen in _his_ eyes?

" _It's not that easy_. You don't understand."

Tooth Fairy gently held her shoulders as he looked her square in the eye. "Then _help_ me understand."

She slowly shook her head as her eyes grew bright with unshed tears. "You don't have blood on your hands."

He glanced at his own hands in confusion, then realized what she meant, and his eyes widened. "You think you..."

"How many people _died_ because of my inaction? Because I didn't see what was going on right under me nose? I can't even _begin_ to make amends for it if I don't even know what I _did_...or _didnae_ do."

Tooth Fairy now had a small taste of what she must have felt every time he blamed himself for what happened to Brinna. "Alpha, these people are _free_ now because _you_ took a stand! You stood with us, and we stood with you. You risked everything for a kid you'd never even met before! How many times did you tell me what happened to my sister wasn't my fault? And you were _right._ No, don't look away. Please, look at me."

"It's not the same thing." A tear ran down her cheek.

"No," he agreed, "it isn't. It's not the same thing, but it's the same _idea._ You're blaming yourself for things you had no control over. You didn't _know_."

She looked away, and this time he let her, but he didn't let go of her shoulders right away. He waited for her to speak, but she didn't, and he wiped the tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

"Roy...I don't..."

Again he waited, but she didn't continue, and he sighed. "So, you're determined to keep going?" She nodded, and he nodded back. "Fine. Then I'm not going anywhere. But a promise is a promise." He held up a finger, then hugged her. "You have to stop if it gets to be too much."

She sighed and hugged back. "Can't talk you out of this, can I?"

"You could _try,_ but we'd end up talking in circles," he replied, and this provoked a snicker.

"You really _are_ stubborn," She informed him before stepping back. "Well..."

"Well..."

They trudged back to the table and sat down, and Alpha brought out one of the leather-bound journals. The leather was ancient and cracked, and tiny brown flecks of the material rained down on the tabletop when she opened it with a 'creak'. The pages had long since yellowed, and were becoming very brittle.

Tooth Fairy noticed that the year at the top of the page was 1600, and something occurred to him. "Um...Alpha, you were born in 1512, right?"

"Aye."

"Well...This was almost a hundred years later. Sorry, but...how did you have a five-year-old son? Was he adopted, or..." Tooth Fairy braced himself, but she didn't take offense.

"No," Alpha shook her head with a little smile. "Not adopted. I've got the 'fourteen hour labor' story to prove it, but I'll spare ye."

"Then...Sorry, but how is that possible?" He shook his head, trying to work it out. "I mean...I know that human men can go on having kids indefinitely, but for women there's a cut-off point. Know what I mean?"

"I know you're _blushing,_ " Alpha teased.

"Am not." He denied this with a frown, but he could feel the heat in his cheeks, and he knew that she was right.

"I know what you mean. And the key word here is 'human'. Werewolves are a bit different, and that's probably a good thing." She half-turned to face him. "There's the bite, which is how _most_ of us came to be...You should see the scar on me shoulder. I'm not sure where the first Werewolves came from, or how, or why, but that's beside the point. And then there's the few who are born this way from Werewolf parents. With me so far?"

"Uh-huh." Despite the delicate subject matter, he was more fascinated than bashful. He also wondered if she was putting off the task at hand, but that was just _fine_ with him.

"As far as I know, most of us chose _not_ to have children. It was dangerous for us back then, more so than it is now, because humans were more ready to believe in us. Which meant they actively hunted us. And, since we don't age, we couldn't stay in one place for long or people would know. So, resources were often hard to get. It just wasn't a good time for children to be born, at least for the two of us. So, we were actively trying _not_ to get pregnant." She hesitated, but he nodded for her to continue. "This next part probably _will_ embarrass you a little bit. It has to do with biology..."

Since they were already being frank about it and the world hadn't ended, he was all right with this. "Okay."

She cleared her throat. "Well...at one point, we thought for _sure_ I was pregnant. I was still transforming on the full moon; _that_ cycle continued. But...as the months wore on, I never got any bigger, and after a year or two we figured out that I had some control over whether I was fertile or not. So, we figured, 'Well, that's one less thing to worry about, then', and things went on as usual. Moving from place to place, finding work when we could. Leaving under cover of darkness when people started whisperin'."

"Ohhh," Tooth Fairy hadn't even thought of something like that. "Heh, ya learn something new every day."

"Aye," She nodded. "Then we hit a ten-year streak of very good luck, and we thought it might be safe to have a child. And when my mind turned towards that possible future, things started up again, and I was pregnant within the year."

Tooth Fairy thought the look on her face was because of what happened to her mate and son, but what she said next truly puzzled him.

"And two years later, I got pregnant with Andrew." Alpha rubbed her forehead. She thought she might be getting a migraine.

The color drained from his face as a horrible realization struck him. He had just assumed that Andrew was her first and only child, and it never even occurred to him that more might have come before. But what had happened to the baby? Choosing his words carefully, he asked, "Do you want to tell me?"

She didn't say anything right away; this wasn't an easy thing for her to talk about. Still, this was about disclosure, and she trusted him.

"Our first was a daughter, but she never took a breath..." Alpha looked away.

Tooth Fairy had no words, and all he could think of to do was put his arm around her. He loved kids as much as she did, and to know that she had lost _two_ children, one of which she never even got to know, just hit him like a kick to the gut.

"So...in theory, I _can_ still have children, but with my track record..." Alpha gave an almost helpless shrug, then cleared her throat. "Anyway...that brings us up to speed."

He shook his head. This was a lot to unpack! And after admitting all that, she wanted to read more about the _real_ monsters of The Hollow? Then he reminded himself that, to her, this was a very old story, and she had long since had time to process everything. Well...maybe not _everything,_ but probably most of it. "I don't even know what to say..."

"Not much ye _can_ say. It happened a long time ago," Alpha reached up and gave his fingers a squeeze.

 _Happened a long time ago..._

"Alpha...so did Brinna's disappearance," Tooth Fairy reminded her. "And I made peace with that. Then I learned the truth, and it just about killed me. Are you _sure_ you wanna do this?"

Alpha remembered the Tooth Fairy's desperation to get to the bottom of things, how he had almost put Buddy's disappearance on the back burner for a time, albeit unintentionally. She remembered that single-minded compulsion, and she understood it very well, because that was where she was now. The difference was, she knew for sure that her family was long gone. She answered his question with another question. "What would _you_ do?"

He hung his head and shut his eyes, preparing for what was to come, because he had an awful feeling that she would end up shattered and he would have to be the one to pick up the pieces. And he was _ready_ to. But he wished this didn't have to happen. "Probably the same thing you're doing. Okay...if we're gonna do this...let's do this."

And so, they sat with the book on the table between them and silently read together, each waiting for the other to finish before turning the page. Alpha was right; a lot of the elegant cursive was nothing more than word vomit; Viola certainly did like to gloat. Tooth Fairy rested the side of his head against the side of Alpha's when Brinna's name came up again.

Viola was angry that three of the thirteen Fairy Rings had disappeared, and she went on about how the Fairy magic she and Avery had stolen was unpredictable at times and difficult to control. Much of it had leached into the rock of the cavern in which Brinna had been killed, causing the previously dull rock to glow with a gentle blue light. Magic that 'should' have been theirs to control went to the people of The Hollow to enhance whatever innate abilities they had...at least, as much as Brinna's angry spirit was able to take back.

"Blue was her favorite color..." Tooth Fairy murmured. "Green was a close second."

Alpha looked over at his face, but while he did look saddened by what he'd just read, he was still dry-eyed and composed. "Do ye need to stop?"

"No, I'm all right." And he was. He shook his head. "Do you?"

"No."

Then the name 'Fenella Macauley' appeared for the first time, and Alpha leaned back from the journal as if repelled by an invisible force. "Oh God, here we go..."

Tooth Fairy began to pull the journal over to his side of the table so that he could read it himself, hoping that he could spare her the more upsetting information and only relay back what she needed to know, but Alpha pressed her hand down on the page and shook her head. "You sure?"

She nodded, and he gave it back against his better judgment. Viola's next entry was more concise, now that there was a solid goal.

 _ **'The humans are obsessed with hunting these things. At this rate, Werewolves will be extinct within the next century. If we're going to get one, it has to be now. I was lucky to locate this small family group. Now all I need to do is catch the one I want. I've been watching them on and off for ten years now. The cub is unruly, as children are, and I don't want to bring him here. Children are too much work, and I have better things to do than play nursemaid to a hellspawn. The parents will never allow him to be taken, either.'**_

Tooth Fairy heard Alpha's breathing turn shallow, and he looked at her face. She was pale, her eyes intent on the page, her lips slightly parted. She didn't look well at all. "Alpha, are you okay?"

"Fine," She said, a little too quickly.

 _ **'The father will have to go, of course. Transformed, he's eight feet tall, and he's got a mind of his own. Would losing his family break his will, or bolster it? He poses too much of a risk to us. That only leaves the mother.'**_

Alpha grew more tense than ever; she pressed her hands together and brought them to her mouth. She never even registered the fact that Tooth Fairy was rubbing her back in slow, gentle circles.

The next page described what happened after what Viola cheerfully called 'the bloodbath', and Tooth Fairy's hands began to glow brighter than they ever had before; Alpha's hands remained unlit, possibly due to the shock.

 _ **'I chose the right one after all. I haven't heard a scream like that in a long time. I wonder how long she'll sit there. At least she isn't crying anymore. I was getting tired of listening to it.**_

 _ **Now she's digging a grave. With her bare hands, no less. How absurd! All she has to do is walk into town and get a shovel. This is taking too long. I'm bored, I'll come back later.'**_

Tooth Fairy covered his mouth with his glowing hand, his eyes huge in his face as he stared down at the page. He went to cover it, to prevent her from reading anymore, but she shook her head.

"No more, Alpha."

"Roy..."

"Alpha... _no._ "

"Move your hand. Please."

He almost didn't. She was breaking her promise. Maybe not intentionally; maybe she thought she _could_ handle it. But he couldn't deny her, and he caved. And after what happened next, he wished he'd stood firm.

 _ **'She tried to get revenge, but she was too weak to go through with it. She's ready. It's time for Avery and I to introduce ourselves.'**_

After such stillness, the flurry of movement at Tooth Fairy's right nearly startled him right off of his chair. Alpha disappeared into the bathroom and gave up her lunch to the porcelain god. Tooth Fairy bared his teeth and closed the book with a loud _'WHAP',_ and he picked it up to throw it across the room. Then he stopped himself in time. What would _that_ accomplish? He might end up breaking something of hers, but that's about it! He went and knocked on the bathroom door just as Alpha flushed the toilet.

There was no answer, but he heard water running. And running. And running. "Alpha? Can I come in?"

"No..."

"Please, Alpha..." He could hear her rinsing out her mouth, and he wondered if he should just try the door.

"I just...I need a minute..." She sounded like she was sitting on the floor with her back against the door.

Tooth Fairy rested his forehead against the closed door and shut his eyes. He could hear her crying, and every sob tore at his very heartstrings. He pressed his hand against the wood, fingers splayed wide. He didn't know what to do, but he _did_ know what was happening on the other side of that door. He had been there himself, once up on a time. With _his_ panic attack, he had been desperate for help, but that was mostly because he hadn't known what it was and he was terrified. Alpha, it seemed, was just the opposite, wanting to deal with it herself, and he had _never_ felt so helpless. The woman he loved was in pain, and she wouldn't let him _near_ her.

"I said I'm not going anywhere," He finally told her, although he didn't know if she even _heard_ him. "And I won't. I won't come in unless you want me to, either. But I'm _here._ You're not alone. So...I guess I'll just have a seat right here. Until you're ready."

Tooth Fairy sat cross-legged with his back to the bathroom door. _I knew I shouldn't have gone along with this. I knew it. Well...'gone along with it' doesn't really fit, does it? Because this was my idea. Because I had to know the truth about Brinna. No...she would have read it anyway. And then she might have been alone when she read that part. This still would have happened. But what can_ _ **I**_ _do, if she won't let me near her?_

Then, to his surprise, she spoke to him through the closed door.

"I don't think ye know what ye're gettin' intae..."

He looked over his shoulder, but of course he only saw the grain of the wood. "What do you mean?"

"Me...This place..." Alpha sniffled, "Where ye're from...the people...they live a long time. It's...it's nae like that here. Most of'm have a human lifespan, or less. I'm just...so tired of _losing_ people. And...and it started with my _family._ I get like this...at least once a year, it seems. I c-cannae be _strong_ all the time."

He turned so that he wasn't craning his neck to look over his shoulder. Her heavy accent was back. "You _are_ strong, even now. To live through what you've lived through...to suffer like you have, and to _still_ find the good in this world...You have no idea how much I admire you for that. _No one_ should have to go through what you did..."

He heard more quiet crying, and then she moved just enough to open the door and they were in each other's arms. "I'm sorry, Roy...I...broke my promise...didn't I?"

"Shhh..."

Neither of them was sure how long they sat on the floor. Alpha finally sat back, and brushed at the large wet spot on his shoulder. "Oh...I'm sorry."

"Well, you _had_ to get me back for yesterday, right?" Tooth Fairy gave a little smile as she got herself back in order. "Mine was probably bigger to match the rest of me."

She returned his little smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Not tellin'."

"That's a 'yes', then," He nodded, then gave her back a light, brisk pat. "C'mon, let's get up. My butt's asleep."

"Fine, I'll keep my voice down."

It took him a second to register the joke, and he couldn't quite muster up a laugh. Then, when he saw her heading for the table again, he got in her path. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just putting it away," She said, truthfully.

Tooth Fairy shook his head. "I got a better idea. Let's _burn_ 'em."

She blinked at him as if he had just spoken a foreign language. "Burn them?"

"Well, I don't normally advocate burning books, but in this case I'd make thirteen exceptions. We went through about thirty pages of 'Her Royal Highness' bragging about all the lousy things she did, and look what happened." He took her by the shoulders, something he only seemed to do when he was very serious about something, and only because he knew she would allow it. "What did we learn about how you can run this place? How much did we write down in that notebook today?"

"...Nothing." Alpha looked down, tears starting to flow once more. "But..."

" _Why_ are you punishing yourself?" He whispered.

"I'm-I'm _not,_ I..." But then it hit her that this was exactly what she had been doing. She walked over to her bed and sat down, and Tooth Fairy sat beside her without a word and put his arm around her. "I didn't even know I was doing it..."

"But do you know _why?_ " He asked. He wasn't sure if he was saying the right things or not. What was it about a woman's tears that could make a man so helpless? Maybe it was because men just felt the need to _fix_ things, and this just wasn't something he could fix. Or was that way of thinking considered outdated and sexist now? The rules changed so quickly that he found it hard to keep up!

Alpha sniffled, and then she nodded. "I had a bad feeling all that mornin'. I dreamt o' somethin' the night before, but couldnae remember what, and I was supposed tae go to market. I hadn't been there very often, only a few times in the last ten years when compared to Alexander, so we thought there was a good chance my lack of aging wouldnae be noticed. And then I noticed the looks I was getting. And I knew somethin' was up. But I willed it not tae be the case. Finished my shopping. And I was ambushed on the road on my way back."

Tooth Fairy's stomach dropped, and all he could do was listen.

She looked down at her hands, rubbing a small callus on her palm with her thumb. "I got away...but he didn't. I _killed_ someone, Roy..."

Even someone like the Tooth Fairy, who was a pacifist for the most part, could understand the need to fight for one's life, and he shook his head. He could see her remorse as plain as day, and this just proved to him all over again that she was _nothing_ like The Founders. "But _he_ attacked _you_ first. Tell me, did he ever back down, try to let you go?"

" _Nooo._ " Alpha emphatically shook her head. "He never even said a word, he just kept comin'."

"Then you had no choice..."

"But I still _did_ it...and I nearly did it again."

Tooth Fairy was almost numb at this point. Clearly, she viewed herself as deserving of punishment, but even if she _was_...hadn't she been punished enough? He shook his head. "Do you want to tell me?"

"Aye...and I won't blame ye if ye walk out the door after."

He put his hand under her chin and gently turned her head so that he could see her face. "I already told you; I'm not going anywhere."

"Don't make promises ye can't keep." Alpha smiled sadly, then sighed. "All right...It was after I...after I took care of my family. Night fell, and I waited...because it was a full moon that night. And then I found their scents. The ones who killed my family, I mean. I couldnae follow all of them, of course. So, I just followed the group until they split off to head for home, and I picked one at random."

Tooth Fairy listened with dawning horror at what he thought was coming. To kill in self defense was one thing. What she was describing _now_ was a premeditated act. He dreaded what he was about to hear, and it occurred to him that he didn't know as much about her as he thought he did. _Well...no time like the present. Time to learn. Please, Alpha...don't say what I think you're gonna say..._

"I followed the trail well into the night. By the time dawn came and I changed back, I knew where I was goin'. I stayed hidden, just watchin'. I could smell what the man's wife was cooking. I could hear the man in the yard, but couldnae see him. And then a wee girl came out the front door..." Alpha sniffled, and tear fell from her eye and landed on her knuckle. "No older than my Andrew. And then her father came around the side of the house and picked her up, played with her, and...and I couldnae do it."

Tooth Fairy let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"I just...turned 'round and walked away. Lord...I was so _ashamed._ _She_ was part of the reason he and his fellows did what they did...because they thought _we_ were a threat to _their_ families. And...I don't remember much after that. Just...a lot of walkin'." She sniffled again and dried her face with the back of her hand.

He kissed her forehead and pulled her into an embrace. "And you _still_ think you deserve to be punished? Alpha, you walked _away..._ You didn't _do_ it."

"I know what it's like to _want_ to." She mumbled.

"So do I," Tooth Fairy quietly admitted. "At that meeting, when they walked The Founders and those others into the room, it was all I could do to stay in my seat. And even back then, you were right there to help me. I was a _basket case_ that day, and you kept my feet on the ground. I've _been_ in that headspace. Not to that extent, no, but I can understand _why_ you did what you did. Following that man to his house was a mistake...but you walked away before you could make an even bigger one. _That matters._ And that other guy...You have the right to defend yourself."

Alpha looked at him, and all she saw in his eyes was sorrow and acceptance. But no disgust, no disillusionment. She shook her head in wonder. "How can you still look at me like that, after everything I just told you?"

He moved a stray tendril of her hair out of her face with a gentle finger and smiled softly through his sadness. "Because I love you."

She smiled tearfully, and nodded. "I love you, too." Then he leaned in, but she put a finger to his lips. "Wouldn't kiss me right now, though."

Remembering, Tooth Fairy leaned back again. He sighed and regarded the journal on the table with a jaundiced eye. "The Hollow is doing _fine._ You're not gonna find anything useful enough to be worth the price. So...did you decide?"

Alpha nodded slowly and leaned against him. "I think it's time for a book barbecue."

* * *

They brought the chest up to where the mansion had once stood, partly to keep the wisps of glowing ash from settling on any rooftops, and partly because it just seemed fitting. Tooth Fairy had missed the 'big event', but here was something he could still participate in. Alpha brought some matches from home, explaining that she sometimes burned candles if they found any on the surface, and Tooth Fairy unceremoniously dumped the journals into a pile.

"It might take a little while," Alpha chanced upon a poker someone had left behind when they were burning The Founders' furniture, and she noticed that Tooth Fairy took a step back when he saw it. Then it dawned on her. _Wrought iron._ Even though the poker had a wooden handle, the rest of it was a danger to him. "Oh! No, it's all right. The books will be hard to burn. The closed covers will keep the air out, y'see. I'll handle that part."

Embarrassed, Tooth Fairy quickly relaxed. "Sorry, that was just a reflex. Here, toss me the matches, will ya? Unless _you_ wanna do the honors."

Alpha smiled and tossed him the book of matches, and watched him squat down to get the fire started. While the pages were pressed together they kept the oxygen out, but he opened a few of the books and ripped out some of the pages to crumble up and use as kindling. As dry as the books were, and even though Viola had neglected to oil the leather covers from time to time, the books blazed up more quickly than Alpha thought they would.

All in all, it took about an hour for the fire to burn down to a pile of glowing ash, and Alpha put down the poker and went to stand with him.

Tooth Fairy wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and hugged her tight. After the last few hours, they both needed it. "I _do_ know what I'm getting into...and I'm _still_ not going anywhere. You're stuck with this goofy-lookin' guy until you want him gone."

She laughed softly, feeling some measure of peace after all the pain. "Well, he's goin' tae have a long wait."


	20. Chapter 20: Temper, Temper

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Reading Viola's journal has reopened old wounds, and Alpha throws herself into her work and puts on an 'everything is okay' mask. Even though she trusts TF and knows she can confide in him, old habits die hard and even she isn't above a little misdirected anger. Alpha deals with survivor's guilt. TF says a mild swear word. Is that OOC for him? Maybe a little. But he and the other Legends get so little screen time that we're left to guess how they are on their off-hours. Content warning for mention of alcohol abuse._

"Chapter 20: Temper, Temper"

March 16th

Tooth Fairy was becoming a familiar sight in The Hollow. People who used to eye him with curiosity and suspicion now said hello to him, or just ignored him altogether as they went about their business. The macabre atmosphere was beginning to feel more like home to him than his own town ever did; his sister had loved this place before it grew up to be what it was now, and he felt a sense of belonging that he rarely felt on the surface outside of the Council. He had a sinking feeling that the Fairies would _never_ be this welcoming to Alpha. He still had yet to get permission to bring her there, and now he allowed himself to acknowledge the reason why.

Strangers were tolerated in his town under rare circumstances, but to have one of their own be in a relationship with an outsider, and a _Werewolf_ at that? Such a thing hadn't been done in over a thousand years, not since before their town was sealed off from the rest of the world to keep it safe, and a relationship with one of her kind was completely unheard of.

In fact, his town was so secret that it didn't even have a _name,_ which Tooth Fairy had always thought was kind of stupid. If the humans didn't even know it was there, or that it even _was,_ why not name it? It would be a heck of a lot less confusing, and simply referring to it as 'Home' or 'This Place' felt patently uninspired. He should probably mention this to Alpha; she'd get a kick out of it!

But Alpha wasn't in the best of moods these days, and he was worried. Over the past few months, as he spent more and more time with her, he had begun to recognize when she was _actually_ doing well and when she was just putting on a facade to keep the people around her happy. It was really hard to spot the difference, too, but when she was faking it there was usually a 'microexpression' that let the cat out of the bag. A slight crease between her eyebrows, there and then gone again, or a quirk of her mouth. It was always something small and easily missed, but once he became aware of it he couldn't help but notice.

Today, he dropped by The Pale Horse to say hi to Punky and to see if Alpha was inside.

Alpha wasn't there like Tooth Fairy had hoped, but Punky looked up and grinned when he approached the bar. "Hey, Roy, good to see ya. You missed the fun."

"Whaddaya mean?" Tooth Fairy sat down on one of the bar stools and leaned in to listen.

"Robert got Alpha with a Super Soaker, which she subsequently confiscated, and now they're not speaking. Again." Punky replied, as if this kind of thing were a regular occurrence. "I think he caught her on a bad day. Can I get ya something?"

Tooth Fairy's curious smile morphed into a glum expression as he thought of what 'bad day' could mean. He shook his head when Punky offered him a drink. "No thanks, I don't have any of your currency."

"Nah, this one's on the house," Punky buffed the glass he was holding and plunked it down on the bar. "I got cider, beer...or the hard stuff, if you want it. And there's always water, but that's free anyway."

Considering what the acid in the cider could do to tooth enamel over time, and not being much of a drinker, Tooth Fairy accepted Punky's last offer. "Water's fine, thanks."

Punky almost looked disappointed as he turned to get Tooth Fairy his drink. "Not one for the booze, eh?"

Tooth Fairy tapped his thumb on the Formica bar top. "I'll have the occasional beer once in a while, but I go to work in a few hours."

Punky handed Tooth Fairy his water and studied his face. "I've seen that look a million times in this place. Something on your mind?"

Tooth Fairy liked Punky just fine, but he still didn't know him very well, and it really wasn't his story to tell. He wouldn't have appreciated it if someone blabbed his business after he'd confided in _them,_ and he wasn't about to do something like that to Alpha. He accepted the glass with a nod. "Thanks. And yeah, but it's kinda personal. I'm sure it'll work out."

Punky nodded, moving off to wipe up a few mug rings the other customers had left behind. "Just thought I'd ask. You looking for Alpha?"

"Not really," Tooth Fairy put down the glass after having a sip. "I thought I'd drop by to see if she was here, but I know she's pretty busy these days."

"Yeah," Punky nodded, seeming displeased about something, which he voiced before Tooth Fairy could ask. "Well, as far as I know, most of the major hiccups here have been straightened out, so I don't see why she isn't delegating more of the small things to some of the others on the City Council."

"What do you mean?" Tooth Fairy frowned.

"I dunno, it's as if she feels like she has to micromanage everything, or the whole place will fall apart. It's almost like..." But Punky trailed off and shook his head, as if he realized he was saying too much.

"Like what?" Asked Tooth Fairy. He wasn't normally so nosy about peoples' personal affairs, but he thought he had a right to know what was going on with his own girlfriend, and Punky seemed to know something.

Punky leaned in so close that the Tooth Fairy could smell the peculiar 'roasted pumpkin' scent of his breath, and he spoke in a voice so low that the other man could hardly hear it over the newly-repaired juke box. "I'm only telling you this because you two are dating, and I can see you're as worried as I am. Maybe _you'll_ be able to get through to her."

"Okay?" Tooth Fairy's figurative hackles were raised now. _What is going on with her?_

"Look, The Founders were _lousy_ people, we all agree on that. And they didn't do the best job of running this place. _We_ did most of that. And we still can. Things are better now than they've ever been. But Alpha seems to have it in her head that if the tiniest thing goes wrong, it's _her_ fault. Someone else makes a mistake? She didn't do a good enough job explaining things to them. Someone loses an important document? She neglected to improve the filing system. She loses her temper and snaps at someone? It's not because _they_ were being a pain in her sit-upon, and she should know better. She's over-compensating like crazy. Especially _this_ week. I don't know what's up, but something's gotta change, or she'll be headed for a nervous breakdown." Punky didn't have to pause for breath, but he stopped speaking to let it all sink in.

Now Tooth Fairy's heart _sank._ As similar as he and Alpha were in many respects, personality-wise, he could see that she was handling her own mental health issues in a different way than he had..or _hadn't_. He had gone through the motions of going to work, and he barely had any memory of how those nights went. He had become a professional couch potato, living on take-out food and watching TV to pass the time until he was tired enough to sleep...or, rather, _escape._ And, to his shame, he had neglected his own personal hygiene. He simply hadn't felt like doing _anything._

Alpha, on the other hand, seemed to be throwing herself into her work. Maybe work was her distraction, and while she was distracted she didn't have to deal with the awful memories those journals had dredged up.

Come to think of it, Tooth Fairy wondered when Alpha even found the time to sleep. He knew she usually slept nights, unless she had to hunt, but lately they had been texting back and forth when he would land to rest his wings or to have a light snack. He kept his phone on silent while he worked, but he checked it every now and then to see if anyone had tried to contact him. By her own account, she was at the library on those nights. He had assumed that, on those occasions, she slept during the day like he did, but now he wasn't so sure. A cat nap could only take you so far!

"Has she said anything specific to you? Given you any clues?" Tooth Fairy asked after taking another sip from his glass.

"No. I asked her, but she told me to mind my own business." Punky replied.

Tooth Fairy rubbed his chin, frowning at what he just heard and at the sandpapery rasp of his stubble. It was hardly visible, but it itched. "Wow...I've heard her talk to Robert like that when he's being a pest, but _you?_ That's not like her at all."

"It's not," Punky turned to service another customer. "She apologized, but I took the hint. Something's eatin' her."

"Mm-hmm," Tooth Fairy's eyes grew distant, and he slugged back the rest of his water.

Punky narrowed his carved triangular eyes to slits. "You know something about this."

But Tooth Fairy shook his head. "Nothing I can share without breaking a confidence. I'll talk to her."

The bartender accepted this, and gave a nod. "Fair enough. Good luck."

"Thanks." He had a feeling he might need it.

* * *

Since Alpha seemed to spend a lot of time in the library these days, Tooth Fairy tried there next, and he found her sitting on the top step of a tall rolling ladder, book in hand. He fluttered up to say hello, and when his face peeked over the top of the cover she nearly hit him with it. He zipped backwards a few feet and held up his hands, surprised. "Whoa! Not the reception I _usually_ get."

Alpha gaped at him, pale and clearly horrified by what she had almost done, but she had caught herself in time. "Oh my God, I'm _so_ sorry! I didn't hear you! You all right?"

Tooth Fairy hovered close again, smiling and making a mental note not to repeat that mistake. He hadn't thought he was sneaking up on her; his wings were quiet, but they weren't _that_ quiet! Then again, she _had_ looked absorbed in what she was reading. "Yeah, I'm fine. I probably shoulda coughed or something, to get your attention. What're you reading? Hmm...'Handbook of Precision Agriculture'. That sounds...exciting."

"Och, it's about as riveting as watching _paint_ dry. But still, it's new...well, new _here,_ anyway. The gardens are doing fine, but there's always room for improvement. " She closed the book and waved him over, then gave him a peck on the lips. "What's new?"

"Eh...not much." Tooth Fairy would have shrugged, but that would have thrown off the rhythm of his wings, and he didn't want to end up doing a pratfall in front of her. "What're you up to, besides reading?"

Alpha put the book back where it belonged, and she was glad to do so. "I was about to drop by the apothecary and see how we are on medicine. Here, why don't you land, and I'll come down."

"Okey-doke," Tooth Fairy lowered himself to the floor, mildly startled when Alpha casually jumped down instead of using the stairs. She _had_ to have been a good fifteen feet up! True, he had seen her jump off a rooftop before, but she hadn't been in her human form at the time. Still, she landed smoothly, as if this was something she was used to doing. Now that he thought about it, it probably was. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"What? Oh! No, I do it all the time." Alpha clasped her hands behind her back. She wondered if things were a bit weird between them after almost clocking him with a book, because now he almost looked cautious. "I'm sorry. I really didn't know you were there."

Tooth Fairy scoffed and waved a dismissive hand. "You already apologized, it's no biggie. It's not like ya followed through, right?"

"I guess," Alpha cocked her head. "What's with the look, then? Everything okay?"

"Yeah, with _me_ everything's fine."

Alpha let this hang in the air between them, then narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. "All right...who spilled the tea?"

"Uhhh..." _Uh-oh..._

Seeing that no answer was immediately forthcoming, Alpha shook her head and turned to walk away. This was rude and she knew it, but she didn't want to lose her temper and yell. Not at _him._

"Alpha, _please_ don't walk away from me," Tooth Fairy followed, but at a distance. "He was just concerned, that's all. He didn't even say all that much."

"Punky, Robert, or Omen?" Alpha kept walking. In fact, she lengthened her stride in her hurry to get out of there.

"Look, I don't think-" Tooth Fairy swallowed his words when Alpha rounded on him. This was the first time he'd ever had her angry at _him,_ although he had come very close in Dr. Hismus's clinic, and it was an awful feeling.

"Or maybe it was Silas? See, that's the drawback of livin' in a small town; everyone's in everyone else's business. And if he, whoever 'he' is, told _you,_ who else did he tell?" Brown eyes snapped fire, but she still kept her voice down. "I cannae _believe_ ye'd go behind me back like this! And ye won't even tell me who told ye!"

Tooth Fairy had the good sense not to tell her to 'calm down'. Never in his five hundred years on Planet Earth had he seen _anyone_ calm down after being told to. He might have been more upset by this surprising little development if he hadn't remembered that he had snapped at her in the past when she didn't deserve it. The day they found Brinna's wings, he had gone into a full-on rant, and she had stayed calm the entire time. He could do the same. Besides, what couple didn't argue from time to time? In any case, he was _determined_ never to let a little tiff or even a big fight go unresolved. Never again. "Is there somewhere else we can go? Somewhere more private?"

Alpha very nearly said, 'I don't want to talk to you right now', but she stopped herself. Was _he_ even the one she was angry with? No. He just wanted to help her, and she was, in essence, shooting the messenger. _What the hell am I doing?_

She gave him a much-deserved apology. "I'm sorry...Ye didn't deserve that. Let's go to my house."

He smiled and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand as she called up a Fairy Ring to warp them straight there. He noticed that the purple color of her borrowed magic was becoming washed out to the point where it almost looked muddy. When had it begun to change over from purple to orange? Interesting. "Yer forgiven."

* * *

Tooth Fairy found himself in the dark, and he was almost alarmed, but then Alpha switched on the light. "Okay...I think we need to talk."

"Aye," Alpha clasped her hands behind her back again, ready to accept whatever he wanted to say to her after how she had treated him in the library.

"Wanna sit down first? This is kind of awkward, standing here like we're in the principle's office or something," He smirked, but she didn't smile back, and they went and sat at her table.

"Did ye want to be the one to start?" She asked.

"'Kay. First off, you had some questions; who told me, and who else did they tell. It was Punky, and I don't think he told anyone else. He said he only told _me_ because the two of us are dating, and he kept his voice _waaay_ down. He didn't even tell me all that much, to be honest. Just that you've been a little short-tempered, and he thinks you're taking too much of the blame when little things happen here and there."

Alpha nodded, looking rather sheepish. "Aye, that sounds like him. I'm sorry, Roy, I was way out of line."

Tooth Fairy waved a hand. "Forget about that; that's old turkey. What _I_ wanna know is, why're you pushing yourself so hard?"

"I don't follow."

"I think ya do," He argued, "but you don't wanna say."

"Well, the question _was_ a bit vague," She folded her arms. The walls were going up.

Tooth Fairy knew he was out of his element here, but he still had to try. She hadn't explicitly told him to stop this line of conversation, and he took that as a green light to continue. "Okay, why don't I tell you what I think?"

Alpha gestured for him to speak, but her body language was more closed off than ever. She didn't want to hear this.

"You might get mad," He warned her.

"I'm already mad," She informed him. "But I'm listening."

He nodded, accepting this, and gathered his courage. He didn't really have her way of softening the blow, although he really did try. Maybe if he was lucky, she wouldn't kick him out of her house afterwards. "You're terrified of screwing up-"

"And this is news how?" She quirked an eyebrow.

He exhaled slowly. _Now_ he was a little annoyed. "Please, don't interrupt me, okay? I'm actually having a hard time getting this out."

"I'm sorry."

He nodded, and picked up where he left off. "You're terrified of screwing up, so you're trying to put yourself _everywhere_ to keep from running this place into the ground. _That can't be done._ Ya get me? _No one_ can be everything, and you'll drive yourself crazy trying. I can see the difference in you today. Your fuse is usually a lot longer than what I just saw. I get it; we all have bad days once in a while. But do you think you're helping these people by running yourself ragged, to the point where you're snapping at everyone? I mean...Robert's in Dutch with you because of a silly _water gun?_ Come on...you're better than that."

Alpha opened her mouth to argue with him, but then she closed it again. He was _right._ He was holding up a mirror, and she had to admit, she didn't like what she saw. But she didn't like to be scolded either, and that was exactly what this felt like; a scolding. "Am I?"

"Well, _I_ think so. What do _you_ think?"

"I think you're patronizing me."

Tooth Fairy scratched the bridge of his nose with a forefinger. "That wasn't what I was going for. If I am, I'm sorry. My point is, if you don't take care of yourself, you're gonna burn out pretty quick."

Alpha finally uncrossed her arms and folded her hands on her lap, sighing and looking down. "I just...don't want to repeat their mistakes. Or mine."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "Yours? What mistakes did _you_ make?" When she only shook her head and looked away, he felt his heart turn over. "Alpha...please, _talk_ to me."

So, she did. "There were just...so many things I could've done different. Times when I could've stepped in, but didn't. It _never_ should have taken a _kidnapping_ wake me up. I should have been suspicious when the ones I warned were sent up to die on Halloween. No, sometimes I _was_ suspicious, but I didn't...I couldn't let my mind go there, because then I would've been responsible for it, and because I kept my head down, I _became_ responsible."

"No..." He shook his head, but she wasn't finished.

"I was too focused on just _surviving._ Not just my people, but _myself._ I could've done _more!_ I _should've_ done more! I should've known those two were bad news the day I met'm! The timing was weird, and I _felt_ it, but I just..." Alpha swallowed hard, willing herself not to cry, which was hard because Tooth Fairy looked like _he_ was almost ready to do just that. "Instead of questioning them, I crawled inside a whiskey bottle, and I didnae come out until a few months later, when Silas introduced himself. Scared the life oot o' me, he did..."

Tooth Fairy nodded gently, remembering the odd river monster. "I bet he did..."

"Well...after talkin' with him, I realized it wasn't a cure, what they were givin' me tae drink. It was...more of a band-aid. Ye have tae sober up eventually, and then ye still have the problems ye started out with, plus yer heid feels like it wants tae hatch..." Alpha rubbed her face, focusing on her eyes, which still threatened to water. "After that 'Come to Jesus' meeting, I put down the bottle, and since then it's never been problem. But they knew they had me. I had nowhere else to go. I should've died with my family...but I didn't. And now...these people _here_ are my family. And if I fail them _now..._ "

Something broke inside Tooth Fairy when he heard her say she should've died with her family, and it was all he could do to keep his composure. He reached out but didn't touch her, mindful of her previous anger. "Can I hug you?"

Alpha's response was to hug _him._ "Ye never have to ask."

He hugged her tight, and they sat in silence for several minutes. Finally, still not letting go, he whispered, "Can you do me a favor?"

"Aye?"

"Don't _ever_ say you should've died. _No one_ should have died that day. Okay?" He ran his fingers through her hair when he heard her sniffle, and after she nodded he spoke again. "I know you're in pain, Alpha...Those books brought up a lot of stuff you buried long ago, didn't they?"

Again, she nodded. "I thought I already dealt with this...I was _certain_ I was past it. But now, every time I close my eyes to sleep, all I see is... _that day._ "

Tooth Fairy nodded and gently rubbed her back. He knew exactly what she meant. "So, you're not sleeping."

"I'm sleeping...just not much," Alpha sighed, her ear resting against his chest. She could faintly hear his heartbeat. Such a dear man. How could she have talked to him the way she did? "Looks like I'm still making a mess o' things..."

"Nah," He shook his head, relieved to have gotten to the bottom of things, despite how hard it was to hear. "You're struggling, that's for sure, but you're doin' the best ya can. Thing is...you're tryin' to do it by yourself. This here, and that out there. You _know_ you can always come to me, right? Even if I'm going through something myself, I don't care. _Talk_ to me. And you have people out there who know their stuff. You just gotta trust 'em. 'Cause _they_ trust _you._ And return the water gun...Robert didn't mean any harm."

Finally, he got her to laugh. It was a small giggle, but it was still something. "He never does, but I had to walk around for an hour lookin' like I peed my pants."

" _'Snerrrk'!_ " Tooth Fairy couldn't hold it in, and he began to laugh. "So, you're sayin' you were 'pissed'?"

Alpha sat back and lightly slapped his arm, joining in the laughter. " _Language!_ "

"Aaand, a smile. Mission accomplished." He wiped her tears away with his hands. "I love you. And I'm gonna help you, if you let me."

"I love you, too. And you already are."

 _Note:_ _Okay, as fights go, that one was more of a dud firecracker than a stick of TNT. A bit of a 'pop', but no earth-shattering kaboom._


	21. Chapter 21: Just A Walk In The Park

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _A day of fun and flirting in the park leads to some deep conversation, and when a stray baseball almost injures Alpha TF gets understandably rattled. Alpha accidentally takes him beyond his comfort zone, but not exactly in a bad way. Later on, Alpha decides to set out on a hunt, and things don't go as planned._

"Chapter 21: Just A Walk In The Park"

March 24th

Alpha and Tooth Fairy hadn't visited the North Pole in quite a while, and there was a good reason for this. Preparations for the Christmas season were beginning in earnest now, and since the cafe would be much busier than it was before, what with Santa's hungry workers dropping by for lunch more often, they didn't want to add to the burden.

"Besides," Tooth Fairy added after agreeing with Alpha's suggestion that they branch out and try other things, "it'll be warming up soon, and there's a lot more we can do outside without me freezing my wings off and _you_ becoming a 'wolfcicle'."

This, of course, was an exaggeration. They were both used to dealing with the cold, and it would take him sitting still for several hours and her spending half a day out in the snow for either of them to begin to get really uncomfortable. Since neither of them was inclined to do such things, it was hardly an issue.

"Aye," Alpha linked her fingers in his as they walked through what they now thought of as 'their' park. "It'll be ice cream weather before ye know it. Or do ye not eat that?"

"Sure, I do." He grinned and double-squeezed her hand. "I don't go nuts with sugary stuff, but it's fine in moderation. Plus, I always come prepared."

He patted his coat pocket, where he kept a travel toothbrush and a few other essentials. Alpha knew exactly what he was referring to, and she intentionally bumped her hip against his. "Oh, oops!"

"Hah! Don't you 'oops' me; you did that on purpose!" He mock-glared at her.

She lifted her chin. "What do ye want to do about it?"

Tooth Fairy lowered his voice to a growl that wouldn't have intimidated a newborn bunny. "You _are_ looking for trouble."

"Oh?" Alpha gave her head a coquettish tilt. "And of what sort?"

She expected him to return the hip-bump, but instead he leaned over and brought his lips to her cheek. He did _not_ kiss her, however. Instead, he blew a loud wet raspberry on her cheek before running off. " _That_ sort!"

" _Ew!_ Why, you overgrown child! You get back here!" Alpha wiped her cheek and gave chase, her laughter echoing his own. "Did ye forget I'm faster than you?"

Tooth Fairy kept running until he heard her just behind him, and he stopped and turned around too quickly for _her_ to stop, catching her around the waist and spinning her once before setting her down again. "Nope, I didn't forget."

She laughed breathlessly and crossed her wrists behind his neck. "Ye know, you don't have to provoke me into chasin' ye to get me this close."

"I know, but it's fun," He rubbed noses with her, then kissed her.

"It is," She agreed between kisses. Then, mindful of the public setting and the time of day, they somewhat reluctantly continued their walk. They couldn't see anyone else in the immediate area, but they could hear children laughing and adults chatting in low voices, and they didn't want to draw any negative attention by overdoing it with the PDA's.

They hadn't had anymore serious discussions after Alpha got snippy with him eight days ago, and although Tooth Fairy covertly watched her for signs of stress, he was pleased to hear that she had taken his advice and let her people do the jobs they knew how to do. Tooth Fairy witnessed Alpha returning Robert's Super Soaker, but was too late to suggest that she empty it first, and he found it deliciously funny when the Vampire promptly squirted her in the face with it before running off. Tooth Fairy was proud to see that she took it in good humor, and he later learned that other apologies were given where they were due, and all was well.

He could tell that she was still having the occasional bad night, although she never brought it up. At first he was a little hurt by this, but then he remembered how much _he_ had held back at first, and how hard it had been to open up to her, even after he knew full well that she wouldn't judge him. Where would they be if his magic hadn't gone into flux when it did? Not dating; he was fairly sure about that. At this point, he'd lost track of how many times she'd seen him cry, and it kind of surprised him to realize that he was no longer ashamed to do so. Not with _her,_ anyway. She made him feel _safe._ And he would do everything in his power to help her feel the same way, even if it meant doing the hardest thing he could do; letting her come to him in her own time.

But today she seemed perfectly fine. Tooth Fairy was very good at reading her moods now, and he noticed nothing amiss. So, he was caught by surprise when Alpha asked him a serious question out of the blue.

"D'ye ever have the same dream more than once?"

"Uhh...hm." He blinked a few times, then frowned. "I don't think so. If I remember my dreams _at all,_ they're usually half-forgotten by the time I get in the shower. Why?"

"No reason," She gazed off at a group of teenagers who were playing with a frisby.

"Gonna call B.S. on _that,_ sweetheart. You wouldn't have brought it up without a reason." Tooth Fairy kept steady eye contact when she looked back at him.

"First it's 'pissed', then it's 'B.S.'? I wonder if I'm a bad influence on ye, luv." She smirked.

"Don't change the subject," He gently persisted. "Look, I'm not gonna force it, but if you _do_ wanna talk, I got two ears and lots of time."

Alpha smiled apologetically, and sighed as she turned her eyes towards the path ahead of them. "I don't _know_ what I want. I'm just tired of the same nightmare goin' into reruns."

"Mm...I don't know much about dreams. Sandman could probably help you out there...I mean, his magic won't have any effect on you, but he could give you some insight." He suggested.

"Wait..." Alpha thought back, and shuddered as she remembered the 'waking dream' magic that The Founders had cast on them, and how Sandman had quickly dispelled it. "Then how did he break that dream spell back then? You remember, right? I wasn't on the Council then, but everyone else sure was, with the exception of Bernard."

"Ah," Tooth Fairy nodded, then winked. "Loophole. He was able to break the spell because it was cast by a _non_ Council member. His magic didn't actually touch any of _you,_ and if it had, it would've done nothing."

"Oh, that makes sense," Alpha nodded. "I'm not sure if I want to bother him with something this trivial, though."

"Nahhh," Tooth Fairy put an arm around her shoulders as they walked. "He's one of the more approachable members of the Council. It's hard to catch him awake and lucid, but when you can he's always happy to help."

"He _does_ seem nice," Alpha thought back on her limited interactions with Sandman, and even though he tended to melt into the background due to his habit of nodding off, she always thought of him as being a very nice man.

"Oh, he is," Tooth Fairy agreed wholeheartedly. "I always liked the guy. Never a harsh word to say about anyone. You should give him a call sometime."

Alpha thought about it, then decided not to. "No, it just feels rude to call someone up out of nowhere after never having done so, and sayin', 'Hi, I need your help with this'."

Tooth Fairy knew that Sandman probably wouldn't mind, but he couldn't argue with that. "Yeah, I gotcha. I think you're a little like me. _You_ don't like to ask for help, either. You remember the first time I called you on the phone?"

"I do," She smiled, and couldn't resist the urge to tease him. "And I still have yet to learn how to make pizza."

"Wiseacre," He teased back. Then he told her something he'd never planned on admitting. "I was never gonna call you, you know."

"I guessed that," Alpha returned, not at all offended. She hadn't expected much from him at the time, and her only plan back then was to leave him alone until he was ready.

"But you might not have guessed _why._ I didn't wanna dump my problems on you. Partly because I hardly knew you, and partly because I was...well, ashamed, I guess." Tooth Fairy kicked a rock lightly off the path. "The day Curtis dropped you off was one of the most embarrassing days I can remember having. Even back then, I thought you were beautiful. I couldn't admit it to myself at the time, but I did. And there _I_ was, unshaven, dirty, and wearing the same clothes I'd had on for three days. I thought _for sure_ this woman won't ever wanna talk to me again, and she's just being nice. Then my finger hit a wrong number, and one-two-three, here we are now."

"I'm glad you _did_ call, even if it _was_ an accident, but this is a little different. For one thing, I'm not interested in dating Sandman, nice though he is!" She smirked.

"I don't think _he's_ interested in dating _at all,_ " Tooth Fairy smirked back. "Spends too much time sleeping. But my point is, that call led to me getting help, and so much more. You're right, it's different what I'm suggesting for you, but he can't help if he doesn't know what's going on. And who better to ask about dreams than the man who deals in sleep?"

"Mm..." Alpha chewed the inside of her cheek, then nodded. "Maybe. And really, don't be embarrassed. I think we all act a bit out of character when we're goin' through somethin'. I just felt so _bad_ for ye..."

"I know," He avoided her eyes. "That was part of the problem, too. I felt bad for making _you_ feel bad, how silly is that?"

"Just proves ye have a heart, luv." Her arm, which was currently looped around his waist, tightened a bit.

He smiled and rubbed her shoulder as they walked. "Well, just think about it. You're a member of the Council too, and we help each other out, remember?"

"Aye." Alpha might have said more, but at that moment she heard someone yell 'Look out!', and she reflexively shot out her hand when she sensed danger at her left. She barehanded a stray baseball with a meaty 'SMACK', and looked at it as if she had never seen one before. Then she frowned. " _Ow._ "

" _Alpha,_ you okay?" Tooth Fairy took the ball from her and inspected her palm. It was a little red, but there was no sign of bruising, and he gave a relieved sigh when she flexed her fingers to prove she wasn't really hurt. "Jeez...That almost hit your _head!_ "

"I'm fine, don't worry. Why...Roy, you're as white as a sheet. Are _you_ all right?"

Two boys, both of whom were around the age of fourteen, left the impromptu baseball game they had going with their friends and ran over.

"Oh my God, I'm _so_ sorry! I didn't mean to hit it this way!" The boy was every bit as pale as Tooth Fairy, and his friend didn't look much better.

"Are you okay?" The other boy asked.

"Fine," Alpha smiled, still flexing her sore hand. "Be a little more careful next time."

Tooth Fairy's face was now beginning to redden, and he gave back the baseball. "Or, better yet, maybe play catch instead. Easier to control where the ball goes. That could've been someone's toddler."

Alpha took his hand as the boys mumbled another apology and left. As soon as she took his hand, she realized just how badly this had upset him. "Roy...Oh, luv, you're _shaking..._ "

"I'm fine." He said shortly as they continued down the path. Then, knowing that he was fooling no one, he shook his head. "No, I'm not. I keep picturing what could've happened. People have _died_ from that...And we didn't even see it coming."

"No, there's a lot o' things ye don't see coming," Alpha said softly, stearing them towards a bench and having him sit down. She rubbed his back as he leaned his elbows on his knees and rested his head in his hands. " _Breathe,_ luv...In through your nose, out through your mouth. Here, like this."

Tooth Fairy followed along with her as she demonstrated what to do, and closed his eyes as he tried to center himself. He focused on her breathing and the gentle stroking of her hand on his back. He forced himself to draw in long breaths through his nose, held them for a few seconds, then let them out through his mouth. He repeated this until he felt his heart rate slowing down. As panic attacks went, this one wasn't bad at all.

"There ye go, yer doin' it," Alpha continued to rub his back, ignoring the curious stares they got from a group of people passing by. "It's all right."

He sighed and sat back, revealing his dry but pale face, but not looking in her direction. "I _hate_ this..."

"I know..."

"I can't lose you, too..." He still wasn't looking at her.

"You _didn't..._ " Alpha took his hand, and it was colder than before; she knew from experience that this was not uncommon when in the throes of a panic attack, and she rubbed his hand between hers to warm it. "And I don't plan on goin' anywhere. My reflexes are good, and I haven't lived this long by taking foolish chances. Aye...ye got a bit of a scare. But the worst that happened is me hand gettin' dinged, and it doesn't even hurt now."

"But I can't stop _thinking_ about it."

"Roy...look at me."

He did, and the haunted look in his eyes was still there, but it faded somewhat when his eyes met hers. He blinked when she reached across him and took his other hand, and he turned in his seat to face her.

"What do ye see?" She asked.

Confused, he blinked and shook his head. "I see _you._ "

Alpha sandwiched his hands between hers, though they were much larger and she couldn't contain them, and she continued, "Feel that?"

"Yeah..." He had some idea now of what she was doing, and he began to relax.

"Good. Where are we?"

"The park?" Tooth Fairy meant it as a statement, but it came out more like a question in his uncertainty.

"Aye...but more importantly, we are _here._ This is _now._ Whatever you're feelin' is _okay._ Where are we?"

"Here..." His heart was almost beating at a normal rate now.

"What is this?"

"Now..." He switched the grip so that his hands engulfed hers.

"And I love you."

The thought of what almost happened hadn't gone away, but right now it didn't seem as important as it once did. She sat before him, unharmed, and just _accepted_ him. Just _loved_ him. And the feeling of safety returned. He finally gave the merest ghost of a smile and pulled her into a hug. "I love you, too. _So_ much."

"I love you _more,_ " She whispered in his ear.

Finally, he chuckled softly. "Oh, so, you wanna play _that_ game. You'll _lose,_ y'know."

"Ehhh, I don't know about that. I'm pretty stubborn." Alpha lightly kissed his neck just below his ear, which was the only part she could reach.

A shiver ran down his spine, and he felt himself beginning to react in another way. He _immediately_ pulled back, but not so quickly that her feelings would get hurt. "Uh..."

"What?"

He cleared his throat, and he hoped she would understand and not get upset with him. "It's not that I didn't _like_ it, but if we're not going any further than kissing for now...umm...maybe don't kiss me there?"

"Oh!" Alpha realized what she had inadvertently done, and she blushed. "So sorry."

"No, no, it's fine, I just..." Tooth Fairy turned crimson and rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean...you know..."

"It's all right, ye don't have to explain. If I do something you're not comfortable with, I'd rather ye _told_ me." Alpha reassured him. "I know we haven't really discussed it, but...Not until we're _both_ ready. Right?"

Tooth Fairy nodded, having calmed down in more ways than one, and sheepishly chuckled. "Right..."

"It's a little soon for that anyway. Well, for _me_ it is; people move so _fast_ these days," Alpha folded her hands, and he did the same.

"Yeah...I don't get it, either. And humans don't tend to look _up_ very often. You'd be surprised by what I sometimes see when I'm making my rounds," Tooth Fairy tried to lighten things a little, and he smirked when she snickered and shook her head.

"No, I wouldn't."

They laughed a little too hard due to their leftover nervousness, and finally Tooth Fairy stood up and offered his arm. "C'mon, we're burnin' daylight, and I've got _such_ a craving for a cheeseburger."

"Ooh, sounds good!"

Tooth Fairy smiled when she took his arm, but he couldn't help being somewhat regretful that this had happened at the park and not at her place, because he was pretty sure he knew what would have ended up happening. _Man...missed opportunities. Not sure if that's good or bad! Okay, stop thinking about it. We're going for a cheeseburger. Oh, she's saying something, pay attention, ya dummy!_ "Sorry, what was that?"

"I said, I slept late today, so I'll probably hunt tonight. It's just about my turn anyway. So, feel free to text me if ye want. I might not answer right away, 'cause I finally figured out how to put the bloody thing on 'silent', but I'll get back to ye." She repeated herself.

"Oh. Okay." Tooth Fairy nodded, turning serious again. "I really wish you wouldn't put yourself in danger like that."

"It's no' that dangerous," Alpha shook her head. "And I won't ask my people to take a risk I'm not willing to take myself. Wouldn't be fair."

"Mm...Just be careful, okay?"

"I always am."

* * *

 _I always am..._

Alpha charged through the underbrush, ignoring the briars that snagged at her clothing and tore tiny tufts of fur from her exposed arms and legs. Behind her, fallen branches and flimsy saplings snapped as the hulking shape that pursued her remained unsettlingly close. She sprinted on all fours in an effort to gain enough distance to be able to call a Fairy Ring and go home.

It was hard to be 'careful' when one was being chased by an angry grizzly bear.

 _Even_ _ **I**_ _know better than to tangle with one of_ _ **these**_ _beasties! Why did I have to stumble across one just out of hibernation, and in a pissy mood?_

Alpha didn't know this area well, so when she heard the sounds behind her come to a stop she thought that the bear had simply grown tired and given up. This was not the case. Before Alpha had gotten further than another twenty feet or so, the ground disappeared from beneath her.

It wasn't exactly a cliff, because it wasn't a straight fall downward, but it was steep enough to deter a dangerous predator, and it was rocky and covered with all manner of vegetation. As she tumbled to the bottom of the hill, grunting and cursing all the way down and with no idea what awaited her at the bottom, Alpha thought disjointedly about Buttercup. "Silly girl to do that on purpose, just for a bit of eye candy...ow, motherf...dammit...son of a...ow!"

Alpha fetched up sharply against a large rock, and her vision grayed out for a moment. When it returned, and the ringing in her ears had stopped, she looked all the way up the hill to see the bear staring down at her with something akin to disappointment. She bared her fangs and growled weakly as she flipped it off. "Ohhh, you _bastard_...I hope ye choke on a salmon..."

Nothing was broken, except for her dignity and a few infant trees she had flattened on her way down, but she knew she would be sore for at least the next few days. She groaned as she got to her feet, and texted Tooth Fairy.

 **'Heading home early.'**

She began to put her phone away, but she saw the screen light up. He was calling her. So, she answered, trying to keep the pain out of her voice. "Hey."

"What happened?" He asked before she even finished getting the word out.

She let out her breath in a sigh and sat down on the rock. The bear wasn't trying to come down, and even if it did, she had plenty of time to get away. "I'm okay, I just took a bit of a tumble. Gonna be sore for a while, but nothing major."

He sighed into the phone, though whether it was out of relief or impatience she couldn't tell. "Do you need me to come?"

"Ye can't, luv. You have work." Alpha gently reminded him.

He was not convinced. "I can get away for a few minutes. And you don't sound so good. How bad are you hurt?"

"Haven't checked yet. Nothing's broken, though. Really, I'll be _fine._ I'll stop by Pearl's when I get back. She's the one who patched me up the night ye first saw me. She knows her stuff." Alpha reached behind and took hold of her tail, pulling burrs from the matted fur.

"Fine," His voice turned firm. "But I'm coming over as soon as I finish work. I have some questions."

"Aye..." Alpha heard crashing above her, and she quickly summoned a Fairy Ring and stepped into it. The bear was nowhere near her by the time she disappeared from the ravine and arrived at The Hollow, but Tooth Fairy had heard the sounds and taken note of the brief moment of phone static.

"What the heck was _that?_ "

Alpha sighed and began to slowly walk up the road to Pearl's house. "That was the reason I took my tumble in the first place. I'm back now."

"I thought you said you were gonna be careful!"

"I _was._ Roy, how often do ye fly through bad weather?" She asked him.

"Don't change the subject. We're talking about you, not me."

Alpha could practically feel his fear and anger through the phone, and she said calmly, "This _is_ the subject. In the past, you've mentioned flying through hail, thunderstorms, and blizzards. Do ye think I don't worry about _you?_ "

"That's different. I have no choice, but you do." He said, not exactly mollified, but willing to hear her out.

"No...I don't. We can't raise livestock down here, so we have to hunt. Everyone who is able to bring down large prey goes out when it's their turn. And sometimes, like tonight, we're unlucky. I'm _sorry_ I scared you."

Tooth Fairy huffed, but he was no longer raising his voice. "I'm _still_ mad at you. _And_ I'm worried sick, so keep me posted if anything changes with you. Okay?"

"Aye...I'm sorry."

"I heard you the first time." He sighed. "And, mad or not, I still love you."

"I love ye too..."

They said their goodbyes, and Alpha transformed back before knocking on Pearl's front door. The lights were already on, so she knew she wasn't waking her up.

Pearl opened the door, wearing a pink flannel nightgown and a pair of bunny slippers. Her gray hair, usually wound into a tight knot at the back of her head, hung limply around her wrinkled face. As she took in the sight of the bloodied and battered Werewolf who stood sheepishly on her doorstep, she folded her skinny arms and shook her head. " _This_ explanation ought to be good."

"Got in a fight with gravity and lost," Alpha deadpanned.

" _Horsefeathers,_ " Pearl retorted, drawing her in to assess the damage. "What _really_ happened?"

Alpha quickly explained, and it didn't take long for Pearl to patch her up. "Thanks, Pearl. Sorry to bother you so late."

"I was up anyway. Now... _no_ strenuous activity for the next three days or so. No lifting anything heavier than fifteen pounds. And maybe you should figure out how you're going to explain this to Roy the next time he sees you." Pearl washed her hands at the sink.

Alpha looked down. "He knows. He's quite cross with me at the moment."

" _Good._ "

"Och, thanks a lot..." Alpha rolled her eyes. "How was _I_ to know there was a grizzly bear? Or a ravine?"

Pearl leaned against her counter and folded her arms. "Simple. It's late March, so they're coming out of hibernation now. You _know_ where bear territory is. And as for the ravine, perhaps a map? What _is_ it about bad memories that makes you so forgetful?"

"That'll _do,_ Pearl," Alpha warned. "I changed your nappies and wiped the snot from yer nose, so don't-"

"He loves you. I've never _seen_ such devotion. And these risks you're taking? They're _hurting_ him. When you hurt, _he_ hurts. You might not care much for yourself, but have a care for your man. Or one day, you might lose him." Pearl turned away and began packing up the medical supplies. She turned back when she heard a loud sniffle, and her face grew less stern when she saw that Alpha had lowered her face to her hand. "I didn't say any of that to hurt you, Alpha. You helped _raise_ me...and I love you. You were my favorite 'auntie' growing up, you know?"

"No..." Alpha shook her head, wiping gingerly at her face with her shirt collar. She had a few scrapes and bruises on her face, but they should be largely faded by tomorrow. "You're right. I _should_ have paid closer attention. It's not as if I do it on _purpose._ It's like...when my mind goes to that place, my brain switches off, and I make mistakes left and right."

"Well...might I offer a suggestion?" Pearl walked over and sat beside her.

"Please."

"When your mind goes to that place, compare notes with the other hunters. Where one might not spot a mistake, the other might. And get some sleep, if you can. You'll be sore in the morning."

"Don't I know it...Thanks, Pearl."

 _Note:_ _Trouble in paradise? Well...not really. Pearl hits Alpha with a 'clue-by-four', and Alpha is in the doghouse with her boyfriend, but I have a feeling things will work out._


	22. Chapter 22: Heart to Hearts

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _TF regrets yelling over the phone, but he still has some questions for Alpha, and he visits her first thing in the morning as promised. They have a much-needed conversation, and it's decided that he'll sleep at her place that day, while she catches up on the sleep she missed the night before. TF witnesses one of her nightmares firsthand. Mild content warning for a frank discussion about adult matters, and TF being a nervous virgin, but nothing racy happens. Just talking._

"Chapter 22: Heart to Hearts"

March 25th

Tooth Fairy's wings carried a familiar ache when he landed just outside of Alpha's house. Even with his smaller wings, he was a much stronger flier than any of the female Tooth Fairies before him had been, but that didn't mean that he was immune to fatigue. Last night, he had flown faster than he usually did, wanting to finish his rounds as soon as possible. Now his body was paying the price.

But what of the damage that was done to _her_ body? He still had no idea how bad it was.

Over the course of the night, his anger had receded only to be replaced by guilt. Alpha had been hurt, injured in a fall of some sort, and he had _yelled_ at her. Not just yelled, but yelled _at_ her. Like her, he had a stubborn streak, and that part of him tried to rationalize it. This had scared him, and being scared often made him angry. Men weren't _supposed_ to get scared.

 _Just like men aren't supposed to cry, right?_

The thought had come unbidden into his mind, and he realized what he had done. He had taken it out on _her_. She had seen him scared before; she had seen him _angry_ before. What was he really angry _at?_ Was it _her?_ No...not really. She was associated with the real cause, hence his confusion.

He wanted to get his hands on whatever it was that had chased her. He wanted to take back his words from the night before. He wanted to keep her safe, always, and he knew that he couldn't. _That_ made him angry, and _that_ was what scared him.

But he still had questions.

Tooth Fairy stood on her front porch for nearly three minutes, trying to figure out what he was going to say, and trying to muster up the courage to knock. He didn't know what he would see when she opened the door, but he knew it would be upsetting. Would she be upset with _him?_ She had every right to be, he thought.

Then the porch light went on, and the curtains moved. Tooth Fairy gave an uncertain wave, and the curtains closed again. For a moment, he thought she wouldn't open the door, though he wasn't sure why he thought that. Then she did, and he _stared._

Alpha had a large bruise on her temple, one that looked to be several days old, and several mostly-healed scratches on her forehead and cheeks. She wore a gray T-shirt that had 'In My Defense, I Was Left Unsupervised' printed on the front of it in white, but he didn't notice this at first; his eyes were drawn to her bare arms. From her wrists all the way up to where the sleeves began, her arms were peppered with scratches, bruises, and one rather nasty-looking cut that had clearly been stitched. Why she wasn't wearing a bandage on that, he could only surmise. Heaven only knew how many injuries her clothing hid!

She gave a tired smile, but it seemed forced. "Hey...want to come in?"

Tooth Fairy looked stricken as he reached out with both hands, but stopped just short of touching the bruises on her arms. " _Gods,_ Alpha...What _happened?_ "

"Not out here," Alpha stood aside, and she closed the door once he was inside. "Last night, you said you had some questions..."

Tooth Fairy hung his aviator cap on one of the wall hooks and walked with her as she went to sit on her bed, wanting to assist her, but afraid to touch her. Her steps were slow and careful, like those of an elderly person who feared losing their balance. "I said a _lot_ of things last night. Things I shouldn't have said."

"Pff, why not?" Alpha sat down, but gingerly. This was the only indication that she was in any pain at all, because it didn't show on her face.

"I had no right to be mad at you, and-" He never got to finish his sentence, because she covered his mouth with her hand.

"Let me stop ye there." Alpha removed her hand and rested it on the mattress. "Ye had _every_ right to be mad at me. _I'm_ mad at me. And there's no 'should' or 'shouldn't' with things like that. Feelings are just that; it's how ye feel. It's what ye _do_ with it."

"So, what I _did_ was tell you off when I knew you'd just been hurt," Tooth Fairy shook his head. "That wasn't okay."

Alpha shrugged, then a frown line appeared between her brows, there and gone in a flash. The movement had hurt, and she made a mental note to watch that. "To be honest...it didn't really register. I was more concerned with gettin' home, and gettin' away from Winnie-the-Pooh on steroids..."

All color drained out of Tooth Fairy's face, and a wave of cold washed over him. "You were chased...by a _bear?_ "

"It's happened a few times, luv. I'm faster'n they are." Alpha took his hand.

"Then...what...how did..." Tooth Fairy shook his head, wishing he could get his mouth and brain to synch up, but she knew what he meant.

"Well...I didn't know the area well. When the bear stopped runnin' after me, I thought I was scot free...no pun intended..." She made a little face. "I didn't account for possible changes in the terrain, and I didn't know about the ravine. Basically, I pulled a 'Buttercup' and went arse-over-teakettle down a steep incline. Then I texted you, and you know the rest."

"I don't know why you're making jokes. I see nothing funny about _any_ of this." He looked at the bruises on her arm, then removed his hand from hers and reached for her shirttail. He glanced back up at her, wordlessly asking for her permission to lift the back of her shirt, and she sighed and turned in her seat to grant him access.

He slowly lifted the fabric, being very careful not to touch her skin, and his breath escaped in a long, drawn-out exhale at what was revealed to him. Nearly her entire back was black and blue, with shades of green, purple, and yellow thrown in, making the bruises look like they'd been there for much longer than the eight hours or so that they had been. She had crossed her arms over her front to keep that part of her shirt in place, and when he lifted her shirttail high enough he saw why. She wore no bra, and with the pain she had to be in, he could understand why! He lowered her shirt again and shook his head. " _I'm so sorry..._ "

Alpha turned back towards him, taking his hand again. "If ye want to be sorry it happened _at all,_ then fine. Trust me, I am too. But if you're apologizing for yelling, ye can save it, 'cause there's nothin' tae forgive."

Tooth Fairy shook his head and folded his arms as he got up to pace. "It's not just that. You don't even know why I yelled in the first place."

"Then _tell_ me," She gently urged.

He huffed and shook his head. "Because I'm a selfish _jerk,_ that's why..."

"Oh, rubbish..."

"No, it's true. All I could think about was how losing you would affect _me,_ not how it would affect this place, and not how much pain you were in at the time. I..." Tooth Fairy ran his hand through his hair a few times as he paced, and finally he sat back down beside her. "I-I got _scared,_ and because of that I got mad. And it was out of my mouth before I could even think about it."

"And those were all very reasonable things to be feelin' at the time. They _were,_ " She insisted when he shook his head. "I remember there bein' a few close calls with Andrew, and I had to hold back from turnin' him over my knee. I don't believe in that kind o' punishment, but the temptation was definitely there."

"Well, you're not my _kid,_ you're my girlfriend..." He rubbed his face with both hands, almost in a self-comforting gesture. "But you're gonna go out there _again,_ aren't you? And again. _And again_."

"Yes," She answered simply.

"Gods...What'm I gonna do if something happens to you? What are _they_ gonna do?" He gestured vehemently at her front door.

She considered for a moment before responding. "A new leader would be chosen. But why would anything happen? I'm nearly five hundred years old, Roy. I've survived _this_ long. And I have one very good reason to stick around."

"What's that?"

"I'm lookin' at him."

Tooth Fairy shook his head and put his hand on her forehead as if checking for a fever. The gesture was almost playful. Almost. "Just how far _did_ you fall, Alpha?"

She scoffed lightly, took his hand, and kissed it. "I dunno, luv, I forgot to bring me tape measure."

He gave a snort that sounded like it wanted to be a laugh, and folded his hands as he looked at the floor. "How many times have you gotten hurt?"

"I don't know," Alpha said honestly. "Four hundred years is a long time."

"I don't get it. How can you be so cavalier about this?"

She stifled a yawn against her fist. "I'm not cavalier, I'm just tired. But look...You remember that baseball, right?"

"Tch, how can I forget?" Tooth Fairy's eyes flicked briefly in her direction, then resumed their staring contest with the floor.

"Every time we go up to the surface, we're taking a risk. In fact, every time anyone on this planet leaves his home, he's stepping out into the unknown. Does that mean we should all be shut-ins, and not do what we need to do?" Alpha paused for him to answer, but the only answer she got was a slight shake of his head. "You take a risk every time you fly in a storm, and _that_ worries _me_. Does that excuse you from doing your job?"

"No...and I _hate_ storms." He replied.

"And I hate hunting. I _hate_ killing things. But we need to eat. So...there you are." Alpha's expression softened when he lowered his head even more, and she touched his shoulder. "Can I have a hug?"

She was asking for one, but she got the feeling that he needed it more than she did.

"I don't wanna hurt you..." He mumbled. He wasn't anywhere near tears, but it was obvious that these recent events had him extremely upset.

"Ye won't, luv...just be gentle."

Tooth Fairy turned to her and opened his arms, and even as she nestled in close he was afraid to touch her. His hands just barely came into contact with her back. "Well, I'll give ya _this_ much...Your pain tolerance is through the roof. If _I_ was bruised up like this, I wouldn't even wanna _move._ "

"Heh...I'm just glad I don't own a swear jar."

"I haven't heard you swear all that often," He observed, letting go when she sat back again.

"Well, let's just say I dropped a fair few F-bombs and an assortment of other profanities when I stepped in that bear trap. Wouldn't _that_ have come in handy last night..." Alpha smirked and knocked her elbow against his, and he finally smiled.

"Totally forgivable." He yawned, and then _she_ yawned, and they both excused themselves at the same time.

"Heh..." Alpha shook her head and looked at the clock. "You should probably go get some sleep."

He nodded, preparing to get up, but a nagging suspicion stopped him. "Did _you_ sleep at all last night?"

"No," She reluctantly admitted. "Couldn't get comfortable. Pearl gave me somethin' for sleep and for the pain, but I don't like takin' it. Ye wake up feelin' a little fuzzy in the head and hung-over, and no fun beforehand to make it worth it. Plus, I wasn't hungry, and you're supposed to take it with food."

"Well, why don't you take it now?" He asked.

"Still not hungry," She shook her head. "I'll have something later. Maybe take it then."

Tooth Fairy nodded, then looked over at his aviator cap, which still hung on the hook. It just didn't feel right to him, the idea of leaving. He was tired, there was no denying that, but he had a feeling she was in a lot more pain that she was admitting to. But he didn't want to invite himself, either. He looked back at her, and saw that she had her head in her hands. "Alpha?"

"Aye?"

"What is it?"

"Headache..."

He frowned. "You hit your head?"

Alpha snorted, then hissed sharply as her muscles protested at the sudden movement. "I hit my _everything,_ Roy. Pearl says I'll be fine, and I've survived worse."

Tooth Fairy shook his head and folded his arms. "Yeah, _that_ makes me feel a whole lot better about leaving you here alone...Do you need me to stay?"

"I need you to _sleep,_ " Alpha gave him a wry look.

"Then we need the same thing," Tooth Fairy uncrossed his arms and turned to face her more fully. "Do ya need company, or..." _Oh, that doesn't sound creepy at all, does it?_ "I mean, not for _that,_ but...you know, just for _company._ "

Alpha smiled. "D'ye know how cute ye are when you're nervous?"

"Uhhh...no, not really." His smile was, indeed, a nervous smile.

She didn't even have to consider the matter. "You can stay over, if you want. You might want to bring a pillow from home, though. Mine's not big enough to share, and it'll save us arguin' back and forth about who gets it."

"Well, it's your pillow, _you_ should get it."

"And you're my guest. See what I mean?" She grinned.

"Well...okay, I'll be back in a few. Uh...mind if I change into PJ's? I hate sleeping in my clothes." _Please don't let her think that's weird..._

"Whatever you're comfortable with," Alpha got slowly to her feet and walked off.

"Wait, where're you going?" Tooth Fairy got up as well.

Alpha stopped, rolled her eyes, and turned to face him. "I have to pee."

" _Oh_."

He turned crimson and hastily called up a Fairy Ring to take himself home. Upon arriving in his living room, he facepalmed so hard that it hurt. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Although, now that the subject had come up, he figured he might as well do the same. After brushing his teeth, he showered and changed into a set of blue pajamas with a white molar pattern on them and grabbed one of his pillows. As an afterthought, he raided his fridge for a carton of eggs and some bacon. He knew from before that she didn't have either of these things, and he wanted to do something nice for her when they woke up.

Alpha was brushing her teeth when he got back, and he stashed the food in her fridge as he called out, "Hello?"

Alpha spat, then poured herself some mouthwash. "Welcome back."

"Uh, sorry about that last question. I dunno where my brain went." He apologized.

"Och, don't worry about it." She swished with mouthwash and came out of her bathroom, then she looked him up and down and gave him a thumbs up. "Nice jammies."

"Nah, they're kinda goofy. It's almost laundry day, and I didn't figure on anyone ever seein' 'em, so..." He cleared his throat. "Uh, so, which side you want? Wall or edge?"

"Wall's good with me," Alpha smiled and got into bed, then gingerly scooted over to let him in. Her bed was a double bed like his, so even though there wasn't enough room for two people to sprawl out, they still had plenty of room to be comfortable. Or she _would_ have been comfortable if she wasn't so damn sore.

Tooth Fairy settled in beside her, facing her instead of facing away this time, and as soon as they made eye contact he covered his face and snickered.

"What's so funny?" Alpha asked, wearing a confused smile of her own.

"I don't _know!_ " He shook his head, and then he realized that he _did_ know. This was different from the two times they'd shared a bed before. He wasn't sick, nor had he just finished having a good cry. He was perfectly well, and if it wasn't for the fact that she was recovering from a bad fall, this might be considered inappropriate. Or would it? After all, they were both adults...

He met her gaze again, and shrugged. _Five hundred years old, and I'm getting the giggles like a fifty-year-old..._

"Ye're a wee bit uncomfortable, aren't ye?" Alpha smiled, tucking her right arm under her pillow and trying to ignore the pain that lanced down her side.

"More like nervous," He admitted, tucking his left arm under his own pillow as his wings gave a small flick. "Silly, huh?"

"Want me to face the wall?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head, then stifled a yawn. "No, I just...Well, I'm just gonna address the elephant in the room. If both of us were completely healthy and unhurt, I don't think I'd wanna risk something like this...Not yet, anyway. I...never mind."

Alpha nodded, smiling at him as he turned red. "Well, I'm glad ye want to respect my boundaries. And I want to respect yours. But I'm curious...Can I ask ye somethin'?"

His heart immediately began to pound. "Uh, sure..."

She propped herself up on her elbow. "When the subject came up yesterday...well...ye looked a bit scared. I'm not _that_ intimidating, am I?"

Tooth Fairy hid his face again, and didn't answer.

"Why...ye really _are_ scared, aren't ye?" Alpha whispered.

"Not of _you..._ " He mumbled, keeping his hand over his face. "It's stupid..."

Alpha had a pretty good idea of what was bothering him, and she asked in as gentle a tone as she could manage. "Is it because I'm experienced, and you're not?"

He groaned, embarrassed, then nodded. "I wouldn't know what I was doing...I don't even know if there's been anyone else, other than...Well, I have a lot to live up to, and it _is_ kind of intimidating."

"Roy..." Alpha reached out, but decided that touching him now would be a bad idea. "I won't do anything you're not ready for, you know that. And yes...there _were_ two others after Alexander. Not at the same time, of course..."

Tooth Fairy uncovered his face and blinked at her, but he wasn't too surprised. She _was_ nearly five hundred years old, after all, and that was a very long time to be lonely. He knew that very well!

"Does that bother you?" She asked him, concerned now.

He mulled this over, then shook his head. "Why would it bother me that you were able to be happy for a while? It's just...going back to my wings again...they're not a trait that my people like to pass on. So, I never had any luck there. And then I found _you,_ and now that it _is_ a possibility, I don't know what to do with that. I just...I wouldn't want to be...well, a disappointment."

"Well...first off, I'm glad ye trust me enough to tell me that," Alpha said quietly, settling her head back on her pillow. "And second...there's plenty of time to learn. And that time isn't now, so there's nothin' to be nervous about, is there?"

Tooth Fairy sighed, relieved to have this out in the open, and he shook his head. "No...Guess I'm being kinda silly, huh?"

"Not at all. Knowin' what I do, it makes perfect sense to me. Now, let's get some sleep."

"Okay. You need anything before we do? I can get it, so you won't have to get up." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"You're sweet," Alpha gave him a light peck on the cheek. "But no, I just want to sleep."

"Okay," He leaned in and kissed her, then settled down and closed his eyes. "Night, sweetheart."

"Night, Wintergreen."

They were safe.

* * *

Tooth Fairy woke up seven hours later to a soft sound he couldn't quite identify, and it took him a moment to realize where he was and what that sound was. He was at Alpha's house, and he had spent the morning there. She was still in bed beside him, but now she faced away from him, and she was crying softly. "Hey..." He whispered gently, reaching over to touch her hair. "Alpha, what's wrong? Do you have pain?"

No answer. Just intermittent, quiet sobs, punctuated by the occasional whimper. She was crying in her sleep.

Tooth Fairy sat up and laid a soft hand on her arm. "Alpha, it's okay...You're dreaming. Wake up. Alpha?"

"No...no..."

This was so hard to watch! He leaned over so that his mouth was next to her ear. "Alpha, _please_ wake up...It's okay...You're _safe_...Alpha, wake up..."

Alpha's eyes shot open, and he sat back just in time to avoid having their heads collide. She didn't even register the pain of such a sudden movement as she whipped around to stare at him in disbelief. Then, realizing that she was awake, she flung her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest.

"Whoa! Hey...easy...it's _okay_..." Tooth Fairy was badly alarmed by her sudden, stormy fit of sobbing, and all he could do was hold her and wait it out. "It was just a _dream_. You're safe...I gotcha...I gotcha..."

"You...you were..." Alpha could hardly get the words out as she tried to calm down.

"What?" He whispered, petting her hair.

"You...y-you were...you were _dead!_ " She gulped. "I saw...and..."

He shook his head, and just kept doing what he was doing, not knowing what else he _could_ do. This was breaking his heart! "But I'm _here_...It's okay. I'm not dead, I'm _right_ here. Shhh...shhh..."

"I-I know..."

It wasn't long before she was able to stop, and when she sat back he could see that the bruise on her temple wasn't quite as dark as it had been before. "Oh, it's lighter."

"Huh?"

He pointed to her temple, then looked at her arms. "They're _all_ a bit lighter. How's your back?"

Alpha sniffled, folding her legs so that she sat cross-legged, facing him. "It's there. I'm sorry about that...I mean, jumping at ye like that..."

Tooth Fairy shook his head and turned to face her, sitting the same way. "If I had that kinda dream about you, I'd be pretty upset myself. _And_ relieved to wake up and see that it wasn't real!"

"Aye...Still, talk about a rude awakening. Ye want breakfast?" She asked, changing the subject.

"How 'bout _I_ do breakfast, and _you_ stay here?" He offered.

"You can cook?" Alpha asked, then winced. "That came out wrong."

Tooth Fairy laughed softly. "I've bucked a lot of male stereotypes, in spite of my best efforts. I'm no Alton Brown, but I do all right. Just let me know what's off-limits and what's up for grabs."

She finally gave a genuine smile and nodded. "Aye, all right. But I'll help; I need to get up anyway. Stayin' still too long isn't good, either. Ye get all stiff."

"Okay," He shrugged and turned away, swinging his legs out of bed.

Alpha generally didn't keep much food in her fridge at any given time, mostly because she lived alone and didn't want it to go bad, but she did have bread and a jar of strawberry jam. The extra food in her fridge came as a pleasant surprise, which earned Tooth Fairy a hug and a kiss, and between the two of them they put together a good meal.

As it turned out, despite Alpha's previous speculations on the matter, Tooth Fairy did _not_ suck at cooking. In fact, he was very good at it, though bacon and eggs weren't the best foods to judge a person's cooking prowess by.

"Where did ye learn how to cook?" Alpha asked him as they cleared the table and started on the dishes.

"My father, believe it or not..." Tooth Fairy looked pensive, but not upset. "He hated cooking, but with my mother's job..."

"Oh..."

"He had to do a lot of things he didn't like doing. It was on _him_ to watch my sister and me while she rested up, and part of that meant cooking the meals." Tooth Fairy was privately surprised that discussing this didn't bother him.

Alpha was trying to get some understanding of the distant man who had raised such a kind son. She took one of the clean frying pans and dried it, then put it away. "He didn't _want_ to watch the two o' ye?"

"Mm..." Tooth Fairy quirked his cheek in thought, then shook his head. "More like he didn't know how to relate to us. He tried, he really did. And it wasn't really his fault..."

"Oh..." Alpha leaned on the counter and draped the dish towel over her shoulder while he scrubbed the pan he'd used to cook the eggs. "D'ye want to change the subject?"

He shook his head and handed her the skillet, starting in on their plates. "No...I just never really talked about him much before. I mean, I loved the guy, and it always kinda hurt that he kept us at a distance. But knowing what I know about my _grandfather..._ Now _he_ was a piece of work. I never met the guy...thankfully."

Alpha wanted to ask for specifics, but she didn't want to push him, so she simply nodded.

"Just from little things my dad let slip here and there, he was a pretty violent guy. We were just lucky our dad was nothing like _his_ dad. Not _once_ did he ever lay a finger on either of us...but he was so guarded all the time, I never really knew what he was thinking. But I think...maybe...he was afraid of making the same mistakes his father made. So, he never let himself get too close."

"That's really sad..." Alpha didn't know what else to say.

"Yeah... _Aaanyway,_ I learned to cook by watching him. And when we were old enough, my sister and I took over, and he went off and did other chores around the yard. More, quote unquote, 'manly' chores." Tooth Fairy smirked. "I don't know who was more relieved to have that silent presence out of the house, him or me..."

"Well...he must've known what he was doing, because you make a great sunny-side up." She smiled.

"I try," He smiled back and handed her a plate. "So, what were _your_ parents like?"

"Well...I _did_ feel the back o' me mum's hand a few times, but she never really beat us. And trust me, it was deserved! Had a smart mouth." She put the plate away, and waited for the next one, which he gave her with a smirk.

"Nooo, not _you!_ "

Alpha swatted him with the towel, and he responded by kissing her forehead. "No, they were good parents. Some things...it's a little hard to remember now. My Da was quick to laugh, and his face would turn red when he had his evening dram. And he told the _best_ stories."

He nodded, handing her the cutlery and draining the sink. His brown eyes were soft. "Miss 'em?"

"Sure, I miss 'em," Alpha smiled back as she dried the knives and forks before putting them away, and she tapped the side of her head with her finger. "But I keep 'em right here. It's not the same, but...it's something."

Tooth Fairy nodded slowly and whispered, "Yeah." Then, realizing that his hands were still covered in soapy water, he rinsed them off and took the towel she handed him. "I miss mine, too. I don't think about 'em a lot, though. There was never the same...uncertainty that there always was with Brinna. Y'know?"

"Aye," Alpha nodded and looked up at the clock. Still plenty of time. Maybe they could play a board game, if he didn't want to leave. When the silence became awkward, Alpha moved off a bit and stretched. She was still sore, but the pain wasn't quite as bad as it had been before. "Well...we've slept, and we've eaten. Now what?"

"Hmm..." Tooth Fairy rubbed his chin. His stubble was growing in a bit, and he was still in his pajamas, but...ah, the heck with it! He didn't have to go to work for another six hours or so, and Alpha was on an involuntary vacation while she healed. "You still got that scrabble board?"

"Not a bad idea!"


	23. Chapter 23: Info Dump and Halloween

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _TF visits Alpha as she recovers, and they notice something odd about the tiny pumpkin she received from Mother Nature when she joined the Council. TF is pretty sure he knows what's up. Conversation eventually turns to Halloween, and it turns out that two heads are better than one. TF is a good boyfriend, and even a leader sometimes needs advice._

"Chapter 23: Info Dump and Halloween Plans"

March 26th

Alpha rolled over and reached out, but her hand encountered nothing but the mattress.

 _Oh._

Of course. Her injuries weren't quite as severe as he had feared, so there was really no reason for him to sleep over again. She hadn't offered, and he hadn't asked. Still, waking up alone left her feeling somewhat empty, and she sighed. _This is ridiculous. He's slept over a grand total of two times, and I didn't even sleep the first time. How can I miss it when it isn't really a habit?_

And yet, she _did_ miss it. At least there had been no nightmare this time.

"Ah, well...Might as well get up." Alpha got out of bed and padded over to her wardrobe to pick out her clothes for the day, and as soon as she opened it an orange glow near the back caught her attention. "What the..."

There, tucked in the back left corner of her wardrobe, was the tiny orange pumpkin Mother Nature had given her. And it was _glowing._ Alpha cocked her head like a curious puppy as she reached for it, not exactly afraid, but unsure about what this could mean. Her hand began to glow as well; that same muddy mix of purple and orange, and as soon as she touched the pumpkin the purple was immediately gone. " _How..._ "

Alpha hastily dressed, took the pumpkin, and sat down on her bed to look at it. Then she realized something. "It feels different...The magic feels _different._ It doesn't feel like _hers._ "

But she still knew how to create and use the Fairy Rings. She even conjured one up right then and there, just to be sure, before dismissing it again. The mushrooms were different, too. Instead of being bright red, they were orange. _Hmm...I'll have to ask Roy about this the next time I see him..._

* * *

Tooth Fairy rolled over and reached out, but instead of finding Alpha he found his other pillow. He exhaled softly through his nose, and hugged the pillow to his chest anyway. He wondered if she was up yet. He knew her sleep schedule wasn't set in stone, but she currently seemed to be paralleling his.

He _did_ have plans to drop by and see how she was doing, but he supposed he should double check. Just as he reached for his phone, he got a text from her, and he smiled. "Can this woman read my _mind,_ or something?"

 **'Hey, Roy. You up?'**

Tooth Fairy put his thumbs to work. **'Yeah, I just woke up a few minutes ago. Hang on, I'll call you.'**

He wasn't at all surprised when she picked up on the first ring.

"Mornin', luv."

Tooth Fairy chuckled. " _Afternoon,_ now. How's your back?"

She echoed his chuckle with one of her own. "A little better. I finally took that stuff Pearl gave me. Feels like me head's stuffed with cotton, but otherwise the 'hangover' isn't so bad this time around. How'd ye sleep?"

"Like a log." He grinned, sitting up and stretching a little to get the stiffness out of his shoulders. It would be another 'long hot shower' morning.

"That's good. Um..." She hesitated, then asked, "I'm sorry to kind of dump this on ye first thing, but I had a couple magic-related questions."

He shrugged. "Fire away."

"Actually, I was hopin' ye could come over today. Nothing's wrong, but I want to show you something." She replied.

Tooth Fairy pursed his lips. _Something_ was up, but at least it didn't sound like it was something bad. Not if her tone of voice was anything to go by. "Okay. How about I come by in an hour, that sound good?"

"Grand. I'll see ye then. I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

Upon arriving at Alpha's home and exchanging their usual greeting, Tooth Fairy's eyes were immediately drawn to the glowing pumpkin that sat on her table. "Is that what you wanted me to see?"

"Aye," She picked it up and held it out for him to take. Her hands glowed bright orange when she handled it, but while he definitely noticed, neither of them commented on that.

He took the pumpkin and raised an eyebrow. His hands didn't glow like hers did, probably because the pumpkin was attuned to her and not him. Although what he sensed was very similar to Fairy magic, it wasn't quite the same. Nor did it resemble any other kind of magic he had encountered before, but there was a very distinct _'Alpha'_ feel to it. Snippets of her personality touched his mind; stubbornness, humor, and kindness. A mischievous streak that was a mile long. The tendency to hold the occasional grudge. A deep, abiding sadness that never really left her. And her strong love for him. It rivaled his own. He gave back the pumpkin. "Well, after sensing _that,_ I can guess one of your questions already. Your magic is an extension of _you._ "

Alpha shook her head and contradicted him. "But it's _not_ 'my' magic, Roy...It's hers."

Tooth Fairy gave his head a gentle shake. "No...it isn't."

Alpha shook her head as well, frowning. "I don't quite understand..."

"Well, let's sit down," Tooth Fairy began to pull out her chair for her, then apologized. "Oh, sorry...I forgot you don't like that."

"Actually, I didn't mind it before," She smiled as they sat down. "It just caught me by surprise, is all. You were sayin'?"

He smiled back, reassured, and then he cleared his throat. "Okay...Parts of what I'm about to tell you won't be easy for me to say, so just bear with me here."

"You don't have to..." Alpha took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "If it's too painful-"

"No..." Tooth Fairy squeezed back and shook his head. "No, this is important. You should know."

Alpha nodded, already regretting this. The last thing she wanted to do was cause him more pain after everything that had happened. Still, he didn't really seem upset; he merely looked serious.

"Well...even though I was pretty sure about this before, now I can safely say that I chose the right person to trust with my sister's wings." He licked his lips, then looked down. "You see...at the time, you had no magic of your own. I mean, magic that could affect the things and people around you. You could change form, but you didn't have full control over it, and you still _don't._ The moon has a say. You with me so far?"

"Aye."

"So...any magic you used after...after you did what you did..." He looked up again. "That was _her_ magic."

Alpha mulled this over. "Then...was she with me this whole time? Or..."

He shook his head. "No...just her magic. She's crossed over. But we're getting off track a bit. When Mother Nature gave you that pumpkin, it wasn't _just_ a symbol of Halloween. It carried with it a share of raw magic, specifically for you. I know you felt _something_ as soon as you held it. I saw your reaction."

"I did...but with what came after, I soon forgot about it."

Tooth Fairy could certainly understand that. "Me too. I didn't think to mention any of this at the time, either. But now I gotta backtrack a bit and explain something. Because you haven't abused her magic, and because she lent it to you willingly...you got to keep it for a while, even when you got magic of your own. The more comfortable you got with having magic, the less you needed to rely on Brinna's, and the more you were able to rely on yours. Kinda like training wheels, y'know?"

"Oh..." Alpha nodded thoughtfully, unsure how to feel about all this.

He looked down again. "I _really_ should've told you about all this sooner, but...at the time, I could hardly think at _all._ And then I went through all that stuff, and we got together, so I just didn't think about it. Still, better late than never, I suppose. Brinna's magic left you because you didn't need it anymore...and because you didn't force it to stay, which is what _they_ were doing. And that's how I know I made the right choice..."

He looked up when Alpha gave her head a sympathetic tilt and gently rubbed his shoulder, and he favored her with a soft smile. "I'm okay. Really. Now...do ya have any questions?"

"Well..." Alpha hesitated. She could see that, yes, he was telling the truth about being okay. But she could also tell that the subject still brought him some measure of sadness, and she didn't want to add to it.

Tooth Fairy easily picked up on this, and nodded; he knew her very well by now. "It's okay, you can ask. In fact, I'd _like_ you to. You don't need to protect me now. I'm _fine._ "

"All right," Alpha turned more fully towards him, and rested her arm on the back of her chair. "I'm not clear on how I can still make a Fairy Ring. And they're _orange_ now, which I thought was rather odd. Plus, transforming doesn't hurt anymore, and hasn't hurt since...well, since just before I joined the Council."

"Mm," He nodded again. He knew this was coming, and he was relieved to find that he was up to this. "You wouldn't have been able to sense it back then, but Brinna's soul was trapped in this place. For over _four hundred years,_ she was trapped. Forced to watch as her powers were being used to control and hurt the people those two brought down here. And there wouldn't have been anything she could've done to stop it."

Alpha remembered how the Fairy Rings used to be so unpleasant to step into, and how she and the others had gotten used to it after a while, but would occasionally be caught by surprise every now and then. Since the burial, there was only a mild sense of disorientation; no nausea, no dizziness. She nodded slowly, and gave Tooth Fairy's hand a squeeze when he took hers.

Tooth Fairy drew a deep breath, preparing himself. "I think she tried to reach me after I first got here. When I went back to get Santa, I made the mistake of touching one of those mushrooms, and...I think...she showed me what happened to her."

"Oh God..." She whispered.

He nodded, and went on, "I'm just speculating at this point, but I know... _knew_...my sister. She would've been grateful to be freed from that, and I really think she would've liked you. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that she would have had her magic block the pain you had from transforming, as a gift. And, maybe, the influence of _her_ magic helped to shape yours. That could explain why it _almost_ feels like Fairy magic, but...kinda not, at the same time."

Alpha nodded, and gave him a hug. "Thank you, Roy. I know this wasn't easy for you."

"No, thank _you..._ You did what I couldn't bring myself to do. I couldn't go near that fireplace. And I couldn't just leave you guys trapped down here. Compared to that decision, this was easy." He hugged back, then quickly let go when she tensed. "I'm sorry, did I hurt ya?"

"No, I just moved wrong. That reminds me. There's something else, too. I noticed that the bruises are fading a little more quickly than normal." Alpha pointed at the pumpkin. "And that wee thing wasn't glowing before I went out to hunt that night. I only just noticed it today."

Tooth Fairy sighed and shook his head, glad that _he_ hadn't caused her pain, but sorry for it just the same. This new bit of information piqued his interest, though. "Hm...You remember how my wings glowed when I was sick, right?"

Alpha nodded. She _did_ remember that, and she also remembered that they had glowed much more brightly when The Founders had tried to twist them off his back like he was a fly. His wings had healed much more quickly than his illness had passed, but now it occurred to her that there might be a connection.

"Fairies can't live without magic. And most of our magic is in our wings," Tooth Fairy explained, "which is why we can't live if they're taken. So...when our bodies are injured, magic is borrowed from the source to heal us up. If our magic goes into flux, we get sick. And if the wings themselves are damaged but not taken, they heal up in a matter of minutes because they _are_ the source. Maybe instead of wings, ya got that pumpkin. Does that make any sense at all?"

"Aye..." Alpha took a moment to absorb this, then something occurred to her. "If it's similar to Fairy magic, would it go into flux like yours did, and get me sick?"

Tooth Fairy began to say that, no, it wouldn't, but he closed his mouth again. Alpha's case was a unique one, and even though he was able to answer her other questions, this one was beyond him. He shook his head. "I don't know. I _hope_ not. It's usually easy to predict how bad it'll be with _us,_ but..."

"But with _me,_ there's just no way," Alpha nodded, then shrugged. "Not goin' tae worry about it now."

"Good plan," Tooth Fairy grinned. "You've done enough worryin'."

"So have you," Alpha smiled back.

"So..." Tooth Fairy picked up the pumpkin to look at it again. "Speaking of your magic, do you know what you wanna do when Halloween comes? I don't wanna push ya, but it _is_ almost April."

"I'm kickin' a few ideas around," Alpha rested her chin on her fist. "Robert had this idea that we could have a huge Halloween bash right here, but I don't know what _that_ would have to do with magic."

"Well, now, I dunno," Tooth Fairy tossed her the pumpkin, and she caught it easily. "Your magic is new, so it can still be shaped. If you wanted to, you can use it for mundane, everyday things...but that doesn't sound too _legendary,_ does it?"

He winked, and she laughed. "Don't flirt _now,_ luv, I'm tryin' tae think."

"Thought I smelled smoke." He winked his other eye.

"Ha-ha." Alpha smirked and lightly grabbed his chin as she got nose-to-nose with him. "I'm serious, now."

He laughed, holding up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. What were your other ideas?"

"Well, I'd want whatever we did to benefit _us,_ " Alpha made a vague gesture to include The Hollow as a whole. "No more showing ourselves, and so on. But I think the humans would still have to be part of the equation. I'm just not sure how to balance all of that. It's a pity, because I _did_ like the party idea. We could _all_ do with a bit of fun."

Tooth Fairy was hit by a sudden flash of inspiration. "Does it have to be _your_ idea? I mean, is that important to you?"

"What's _important_ to me is that I don't screw this _up,_ " Alpha replied. "I'm open to suggestions, and ye look like you have one."

He grinned and rubbed his hands together. "Boy, do I _ever!_ Okay, so, let's say you wanna go with having a Halloween party down here. Great. Fantastic. You guys go nuts, have the time of your lives. You don't even _need_ magic to do that. But _here's_ where you can use it, if you want to. The party down _here_ can influence the fun they're having up _there._ "

Alpha's eyes lit up, and she grinned back. "What a good idea!"

"Wait, there's more," Tooth Fairy grew more animated as he went on. "If you wanna take it a step further, you can create a sort of feedback loop. You could draw on the fun the humans are having, and use it to help keep this place going. Like...oh, say, enhancing the gardens, or restoring some of the buildings here. I noticed a couple of 'em really kinda need it. Or you could even conjure random necessities, sort of a supply and demand kinda thing. Whaddaya think?"

"I think I'll have to run it by everyone else to see what _they'd_ like to have done, but I think they'll go for it!"

"Hahaha!" Tooth Fairy kissed her, feeling quite accomplished, and glad to see her happy. "Y'know, we make a pretty good team!"

"Aye, so we do." She kissed him again and shook her head. "Do ye know how wonderful you are?"

"No," He shrugged, but never lost his smile. "but I'm glad _you_ think so."

"I _know_ so."


	24. Chapter 24: What's In A Name?

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Sensing that a decision has been made, Mother Nature convenes a Council meeting in The Hollow. During the course of the meeting, an argument ensues about whether or not TF should be allowed to go by 'Roy', like he prefers. Alpha makes a strong case for this to be permitted. Why is Easter Bunny so strongly opposed to the idea? A vote is taken, and a few truths come out._

"Chapter 24: What's In A Name?"

March 27th

Alpha wasn't pleased to be woken up by a telepathic message from Mother Nature to let her know that the Council had been summoned to The Hollow itself for a meeting on the subject of Halloween. For one thing, although her wounds were healing nicely, she hadn't gotten much sleep and was feeling grumpy. Not that she said as much to Mother Nature, but the woman appeared to sense this anyway.

 _'I do apologize for waking you up, Alpha, but this is very important. It involves your holiday.'_

Alpha replied out loud, correctly assuming that Mother Nature would hear her. "That's all right. What time did you want everyone to come here?"

 _'At your earliest convenience, but it's up to you to choose our meeting place.'_

"Hmm...Well, we don't really have a place for things like that yet. We've been having our own City Council meetings at what some call the Theater, and others call the Community Center." Alpha quickly threw on some clothes. Even though Mother Nature wasn't in the room with her, she normally slept in the nude, and even a telepathic/verbal conversation left her feeling exposed. If Mother Nature noticed this, she made no mention of it, for which Alpha was grateful. "I don't think we can offer much more than popcorn at such short notice, but I can have a room ready in half an hour."

 _'That's fine. I'll inform the others.'_

Alpha thought of something. "Wait, how will they get here? I don't know where most of them live."

Mother Nature responded with a telepathic chuckle. _'Don't worry, I'll handle that part. Although, I think Tooth Fairy can find his own way there.'_

Alpha blushed. She was curious to know how much Mother Nature knew about the two of them. Then she looked down at herself, and saw that her T-shirt had the phrase 'Because I Can' on it in big red letters. "Uhhh, no. That's a little too on the nose."

* * *

Tooth Fairy arrived at the Theater ahead of time, both to see how Alpha was doing and to help her set up for the meeting. One of the people there, a female Vampire he didn't recognize, broke off her conversation with a Witch and approached him. This woman was stocky, as tall as he was, and she wore a red bandanna over her shoulder-length black hair. She gave off a distinctive 'biker chick' vibe, and Tooth Fairy didn't quite know what to make of her, but he offered a friendly smile all the same. "Hi. Is Alpha here, by any chance?"

She folded her arms and smirked. "So...You're the boyfriend, huh? Yeah, she's here. You can find her in Room C."

"Thank you," Tooth Fairy nodded and stuck out his hand. "I'm Roy, by the way."

She grinned and shook his hand. "Sarah. Gemma and I are on the City Council, so if you're with Alpha you'll probably be seeing a lot of us." She nodded her head in the direction of the Witch she had been talking to, who didn't seem to want to approach. The Witch had green skin like the Wicked Witch of the West, but she also had dainty, feminine features. And she seemed to be a little afraid of him.

Tooth Fairy grinned back, and nodded politely to Gemma. Reading Gemma's body language, he made no attempt to approach her. He wasn't shy himself, for the most part, but he wasn't about to approach someone who looked like they wished to remain distant. "Nice to meet ya both. S'cuse me, I'm gonna go see if Alpha needs any help."

"Yep." Sarah watched him go, and rejoined Gemma. "Well, he seems nice. I don't know why you were afraid to introduce yourself."

Gemma still looked uncertain. "I just don't know if I trust this 'Council of Legendary Figures'. What do we really _know_ about them?"

"Well..." Sarah shrugged. "Alpha's a Council member now, and she's always stood up for us before. Give 'em a chance."

Gemma still didn't look convinced, but she nodded. "I'll try."

* * *

Alpha turned when someone tapped out 'Shave and a Haircut' on the door, and she smiled. It had to be Roy. She didn't know anyone else who did that. "Come in."

Tooth Fairy came in and shut the door behind him, and he smiled as he pointed at the fading bruise on her temple. "Hey, it's almost gone. How ya feelin', sweetheart?"

Alpha left what she was doing and went up to greet him with a hug. "Much better than yesterday." She kissed him, then stepped back. "You're lookin' handsome today."

And he _was._ At least, to her.

Tooth Fairy shook his head. "Well, I'm glad _you_ think so. Thanks. _You_ look _beautiful._ "

Alpha rolled her eyes. "I look like _shite._ Mother Nature woke me up after I got maybe three hours sleep."

He snorted and gently caught her shoulders as she began to turn away to get a few folding chairs for her guests. "You do _not_ look like 'shite'. You look _lovely,_ bruises and all."

Alpha kissed him again, then giggled against his shoulder. "Did you just say 'shite'?"

"Shut up," He chuckled, kissing her ear, although this was by accident.

"Eep!" Alpha twisted away, then rubbed her arms. "Now, _that's_ not playin' fair; you just gave me goosebumps!"

He squinted playfully and pointed at her. "Did you just say 'eep'?"

"Shut up," She fake-punched his shoulder before giving him a peck on the cheek. Then she unfolded a chair and set it up at the card table.

Tooth Fairy laughed and helped her set out the folding chairs. "And I'm supposed to be sorry because...?"

"Never said you were supposed to be _sorry._ "

"Good, 'cause I'm not," He grinned. Then he nodded at the door. "I just met Sarah. And I _sort of_ met Gemma."

"Ah, I've been meaning to introduce ye. What did you think?" Alpha noticed his tone when he mentioned Gemma, and she thought she knew why.

He shrugged and unfolded a chair, giving a muttered 'ouch' as his finger got a slight pinch. "Sarah seems friendly enough, although when she came over to say hi I got the impression that she was testing me. And Gemma doesn't seem too sure about me at all."

Alpha nodded as if she expected this. "Aye, you're going to run into that a fair few times down here. Until recently, we've had no reason to trust any surface dwellers at all, so naturally some people will still be a bit unsure. They're good eggs, those two."

Tooth Fairy drummed his fingers on the back of the metal folding chair. "Hm...Question."

"Aye?"

"I haven't noticed a whole lot of the 'I don't trust you' attitude here. Not lately, anyway. If I wasn't dating _you,_ would people still be as friendly as they are?" Tooth Fairy wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that one.

"Hard to say," Alpha went to add melted butter and salt to a fresh batch of popcorn. "You and the others _did_ pull our buns out of the fire when we had the food shortage, so it probably still would've been all right. Gemma's pretty timid anyway, but Sarah definitely isn't. With _her,_ what ye see is what ye get. If she isn't openly hostile with you, you're fine. And if Sarah's fine with you, Gemma won't be far behind."

"Okay," Tooth Fairy was relieved to hear that, and he finished setting up the chairs before going over to steal a piece of popcorn. "Mm. How'd you guys get butter down here?"

Alpha sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "Some of the more human-looking ones here will occasionally find something valuable to pawn, and they use that money for hard-to-get items. Or, and I've tried to curb this, Robert likes to shoplift."

"So, wait, this stuff's stolen?" Tooth Fairy backed off from the popcorn bowl as if it was radioactive.

"No," Alpha shook her head. "That's actually a rare occurrence, and lately he's been behaving himself. I'm fairly certain the money that paid for this came from a set of pawned candlesticks, previously owned by the two macadamias who lived North 'o the town."

"Huh..." Tooth Fairy thought back on the food shortage, and he wondered if that could have been avoided if they simply pawned off all The Founders' stuff.

Alpha saw the look on his face, and shook her head. "What?"

Tooth Fairy gave voice to his question, and she shook her head again.

"We would've been able to delay it for a while, but not for long. For one thing, selling off the stuff would still take a lot of time, and we have a finite amount of things to pawn. We're tryin' to stay self-sufficient and not to rely too heavily on them. For another, the Gremlins destroyed a good bit of the more valuable items before we discovered them. And...well, this is the first time we've had to run the show on our own, and back then we weren't as coordinated as we otherwise might have been."

Now he nodded. "That makes sense, actually. I didn't doubt you, or anything, I just wondered."

Alpha held a piece of popcorn up to his mouth, and he accepted it. "Go ahead and doubt me; I'm not always right, as you well know."

He chuckled. "I'm not taking _that_ bait!"

They both jumped as a voice near the door chimed in. "Smart move!"

Santa and the others had arrived unnoticed as Alpha put the piece of popcorn into Tooth Fairy's mouth, and he pointed at the two of them with a slightly teasing grin. "Sooo...you guys have been keeping secrets."

Cupid raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't much of a secret. I'm pretty sure Bernard figured it out _ages_ ago."

Alpha recovered before Tooth Fairy did, and beckoned them into the room. "C'mon in. There's popcorn if anybody wants it."

"Ooh!" Jack Frost went to join Tooth Fairy, who handed him a small bowl. "All that's missing is a movie! Love your shirt, by the way."

Alpha looked down at her green T-shirt out of reflex; emblazoned on the front of it in white letters were the words 'I found this humerus', and underneath that was a drawing of a bone. "Thanks. And sorry, Jack. As fun as a movie day would be, Mother Nature called everyone here on business."

Mother Nature came forward and embraced Alpha, which the Werewolf gladly returned. "Once again, I do apologize for the lack of notice, but I'm afraid I'm quite busy myself, and this shouldn't take long."

"Och, it's fine." Alpha waved a hand, then nodded at the grandfatherly figure who leaned on his staff. "Father Time, welcome."

"Pleasure to be here," He returned as he and Mother Nature stood at one end of the card table. Everyone who wanted popcorn helped themselves to a bowl before sitting down. Sandman yawned and rested his head on the table.

"Somethin' to drink?" Alpha offered.

Easter Bunny twitched an ear. "Do you have any carrot juice?"

"Um..." Alpha was rather taken aback by the question, mostly because she had never heard of such a thing. Juicing apples was one thing, but c _arrots?_ Blecch! "No, I'm afraid not, but there's water, and I could get you some cider if ye like."

"No, thanks anyway," Easter Bunny waved a paw. "Interesting place."

Alpha made a mental note to keep small batches of carrot juice on hand. She had come to know that there was no telling when a meeting would be called, but surely _someone_ would drink it before it went bad. As far as she was concerned, they were welcome to it! "Aye, we're not very formal here. Sorry it isn't much to look at. Someday we'll find a better place for this kind o' thing."

The other Council members were quick to reassure her that the setting was just fine, and with the exception of Mother Nature and Father Time, they sat comfortably at the table, waiting for things to get started. Alpha sat next to Tooth Fairy, and it didn't go unnoticed by Cupid that they were holding hands under the table.

Sandman began to snore, and Santa shook him. "And we just lost Sandman. Wake up, Sandy!"

Sandman snorted awake. "Hm, whuh...oh. Sorry. I did it again, didn't I?"

"Yes," They all chorused in unison.

Mother Nature didn't bother with her gavel this time. Formal this place was not, and while she liked to stand on ceremony she wanted Alpha to be as comfortable as possible with this intrusion. "Alpha, do you have a status report?"

 _You know I do,_ Alpha thought to herself, then blanched when Mother Nature smiled and replied without saying a word.

 _'I do, but it's polite to ask.'_

"Uh...right, so..." Alpha cleared her throat and let go of Tooth Fairy's hand, folding her hands on the table as she collected her scattered wits. "We...that is, Roy and I...were talking about magic yesterday, and he helped me figure a few things out."

Easter Bunny twitched his nose and scoffed, but no one seemed to notice.

"Up until now, we've dreaded Halloween, but I won't get into the reasons why. At first, no one here was interested in doing _anything_ on that night. That's really not possible now, though, so a few of us have been trying to think of something everyone would enjoy. These days, Halloween isn't supposed to be _all_ scary. It's supposed to be _fun._ " Alpha paused for breath, and to see what their reactions were.

"Mm-hmm," Mother Nature nodded encouragingly.

"I like where this is going," Jack tossed a piece of popcorn into the air and caught it in his mouth.

"Robert had a notion I really liked. Before he came down here, he'd been to a few Halloween parties on the surface. The way _he_ put it was, 'We've been going out on Halloween and putting ourselves in the line of fire.' He suggested that we reclaim it and make it ours. Basically, he wants to have what he called a 'block party' on Main Street." Alpha looked at Tooth Fairy and knocked her elbow against his. "And Roy had an idea for how I can make that work."

Again, Easter Bunny grew agitated, and now he interrupted Alpha. "Would you please stop doing that?"

Alpha blinked, rather taken aback and more than a little confused. "Doing what?"

Tooth Fairy, who had dealt with this kind of thing on and off for years, knew exactly what was coming and he put a hand over his face. "Come on, E.B., don't do this now..."

"His name isn't 'Roy', Alpha, it's 'Tooth Fairy'." Easter Bunny answered her as if Tooth Fairy hadn't spoken.

Alpha's expression grew so cold that Jack Frost looked impressed, and her voice was positively glacial. "Your opinion is noted. Now, gettin' back to what I was say-"

But the Easter Bunny interrupted her. "It's not an _opinion,_ Alpha. It's a _fact._ His name isn't 'Roy', so stop calling him that."

Angered now, Alpha stared him down. "No."

Mother Nature intervened, her voice sharp. "Easter Bunny! Alpha wasn't finished speaking. If you want to bring up a different order of business, you'll have to wait until she's done."

Tooth Fairy's annoyance began to show, and he folded his arms. "Yeah, _or_ we could just not talk about it at all."

A look from Mother Nature shut both his mouth and the Easter Bunny's, and Alpha took a deep breath before continuing. "So, Roy's idea was that I could choose to have the party _here_ influence how much fun the humans have _up there_. The more fun the people down here are having, the more fun the humans who celebrate Halloween will have. And then we can use _that_ energy to improve a few things down here. Although, I'm _still_ not sure how I'll know what to do when it comes right down to it..."

Tooth Fairy nodded, sharing a knowing look with Santa. "You'll know. It's hard to explain, but there are some things ya just gotta learn by doing. The only thing you gotta watch out for is, releasing that much magic in one go will tucker you out _big-time._ You could probably sleep through an earthquake afterwards."

Alpha snorted. "I've actually _done_ that before."

"I believe it," He bumped his shoulder against hers.

Cupid tapped Tooth Fairy on the head with the end of his bow. "Okay, lovebirds, break it up. That's not a bad idea, though."

Santa was _definitely_ on board with this. "It's a _great_ idea! You guys get some urban renewal thing going on, the humans aren't left out, and everyone has fun. It's a win-win!"

"I _love_ parties!" Jack gushed, spilling what was left of his popcorn. He scooped it back into the bowl and added, "You want me to do a few ice sculptures? No chainsaws required."

Easter Bunny rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. Jack Frost statues?"

"Ugh, what is your _deal_ today?" Jack threw up his hands in defeat. "No, I was thinking more along the lines of a Werewolf here, a Witch there, maybe I could do an ice mobile with little bats...Really, I'm open to anything."

Alpha chuckled at Jack's enthusiasm. "Thank ye, Jack. I'll keep you posted."

"So, do _I_ get an invite?" Cupid asked. "I'm curious to see how you'll do, and I might be able to make a few love connections down here. Not for _me,_ mind you."

"You're all invited, if you can make it," Alpha replied. She glanced at the Easter Bunny, whom she was still annoyed with, and thought, _Even him._

Sandman yawned, covering his mouth a little too late to avoid showing off his molars. "A few of us won't be able to stay for the whole thing. I'll have my work cut out for me with how hyper kids get after they eat candy. I can't do my job at all until the parents get them to lie down, and on Halloween and other holidays, that takes a while."

Tooth Fairy nodded in agreement with him. "I'll probably be extra busy for a few nights _after_ that. Milk Duds and loose teeth don't get along!"

"I can imagine!" Alpha chuckled.

Father Time exchanged a look with Mother Nature, and they nodded. "It's a fine idea. And it will go a long way towards solving some of the problems I've noticed down here."

"Problems?" Alpha cocked her head.

"Unsafe living conditions. It's through no fault of your own, but these buildings aren't up to code." He explained, then added, "No offense."

"None taken," Alpha relaxed; they were still on the same page. "I was thinkin' o' that, too."

"So," Cupid adjusted his quiver, "we done here?"

Mother Nature could see that Easter Bunny was bursting to speak, though she wasn't sure why he was being so tenacious about this, and she reluctantly shook her head. "I believe Easter Bunny has something he wants to say."

Tooth Fairy closed his eyes and shook his head, folding his arms across his chest and muttering, "Here we go again..."

"Look, this isn't something we can _change._ These laws are in place to keep us from getting too far from what we _are._ Once Alpha's magic is set, there won't be any changing it, and if, Heaven forbid, something happens to _her,_ it'll pass on to whoever gets her pumpkin. With you and me, Tooth Fairy, it's all down to _blood._ My eldest child is called 'Easter Bunny', like me." Easter Bunny explained.

Tooth Fairy waved an impatient hand. "Yeah, yeah, I _know_ all that. But the odds of _me_ ever having kids are a big fat goose-egg. I never found love with a Fairy woman, and...well, if things ever went in that direction, Alpha and I aren't genetically compatible."

Alpha blushed. "Isn't that a little premature? Children, I mean?"

"No, it's a _lot_ premature, but it's relevant. My sister is gone, and I have no other family left. My bloodline stops here. And _then_ what?" Tooth Fairy turned red as well, but not with embarrassment. He didn't often allow himself to acknowledge it, but children weren't just a sore point for Alpha. He thought he would have liked to be a father someday, but life had dealt him a cruel hand, and he didn't like to talk about this particular card. "There's no guarantee that something won't happen to _me_ someday, either."

No one had an answer, and Alpha looked down.

Mother Nature sighed and held up a hand. "We are getting _way_ off topic. And there is no need to pick at _that_ wound, Easter Bunny."

Easter Bunny _was_ sorry. He had only meant to prove a point about why the name was so important, and it never occurred to him that Tooth Fairy had been keeping something like this under his hat. "I'm sorry. I didn't know about any of that. But the _name_ is still important."

Alpha had heard enough. " _Why_ is it important?"

Tooth Fairy put a hand on Alpha's shoulder and shook his head. He was genuinely touched that she was so quick to jump to his defense, but he didn't want this to turn into a big scene. "Alpha, please, it doesn't matter."

"Yes, it _does_ matter," She argued.

Easter Bunny shook his head. "Alpha, you're not _listening._ 'Roy' is _not_ his name!"

"And 'Alpha' isn't mine," She pointed out. "Look...Easter Bunny, you _did_ make a fair point with that last bit. Santa used to go by 'Scott Calvin', which was the name his parents gave him when he was born."

"So, what's _your_ point?" Easter Bunny was now crossing well into rude territory; this behavior wasn't like him, and his fellow Council members were all privately shocked by it.

Tooth Fairy gave up. Trying to stop Alpha once she was determined to do something was like trying to hold sand in a colander. It simply couldn't be done.

"I'm getting to that. _My_ given name is 'Fenella'," Now she allowed herself a small chuckle, "Which I've never quite forgiven my parents for."

There was a bit of subdued laughter around the table, and she continued, "But you have no problem with calling me 'Alpha', and Carol always refers to Santa as 'Scott'. Why is that?"

Mother Nature answered before Easter Bunny could put his foot in his mouth again. "She is his wife; that is her right, Alpha. And 'Alpha' isn't your job title. For Tooth Fairy, his job and his name are one in the same. When it began with his ancestor, the reason for this was to avoid confusion."

"Well, I'm still confused," Alpha shook her head.

Jack Frost saw an opening, and his smile was rather devious as he addressed Alpha with a wink that only she and Tooth Fairy saw. "It's not like the kids will know the difference."

Alpha shot Jack a grateful smile. "That's exactly my point. We're not allowed to reveal ourselves, so how would the humans find out anything about him one way or the other? They aren't even aware of his gender! What does it matter what he calls himself?"

Frustrated, Tooth Fairy flung up his hands. "That's what _I've_ been trying to say. You won't get anywhere with them, Alpha."

Cupid thoughtfully scratched his cheek. "Why 'Roy', though? Why not something more mainstream, like 'Steve'?"

"Well, it's not like any of you thought to ask me before, but if you have to know, it's the name my mother would've picked," Tooth Fairy folded his arms, feeling very hurt by his supposed friends' opposition, and by the slight against what his immediate family called him in the privacy of their home. "But that choice was taken away from her because some ancestor I know nothing about had the bright idea to name us all the same..."

Mother Nature, now visibly distressed, looked at Father Time as she remembered Tooth Fairy's mother. _She_ had asked them to refer to her as 'Cori', not because her own mother had called her that, but because that was the name she would have chosen for herself. And the only one who had honored that request...when he remembered, that is...was Bernard. Tooth Fairy's mother... _Cori..._ had only mentioned it once or twice, but she hadn't been nearly as vocal about it as her son was. Did that mean she'd been less unhappy with it than he was? No...Not if she defiantly gave him a different name behind everyone's backs. Maybe some laws _should not_ be absolute. Mother Nature shook her head. "We had no idea..."

"Well, why didn't you say so before?" Cupid flew in low and gave Tooth Fairy a playful swat on the noggin.

Tooth Fairy shrugged, trying not to look like this was affecting him, but he gave Alpha's hand an appreciative squeeze under the table when she took his. "For the most part, I don't like talking about my family..."

Easter Bunny was silent, his ears tilting back a little.

Sandman looked thoughtful...and a little less sleepy than usual.

Alpha hadn't known this little detail about Tooth Fairy, but that just made her all the more determined to keep calling him 'Roy', even if no one else would. "I understand that certain things can't change, but again, if the kids won't know, what's the harm? They'll still know him as 'Tooth Fairy', because that _is_ his job. And his name _is_ 'Tooth Fairy', because that's not something that can be changed. But knowing what you know _now_...with all due respect...your continued refusal to call him by his preferred name, the name his _mother_ would have given him? It's more than just disrespectful; it's _hurtful_."

There was more silence as her words sunk in, and even Easter Bunny seemed to be wavering. Finally, Santa spread his hands. "Look, I have _no_ problem with calling you 'Roy'. All you had to do was speak up."

Tooth Fairy smiled a little. "Thank you, Santa. To be honest, I like 'The Molinator', too. I mean, a pun on 'The Terminator'? Come _on!_ "

"Hm..." Cupid was seriously considering it now.

Jack shrugged airily and swiped a handful of popcorn from Sandman's full bowl; Sandman never even noticed. "Well, I'll probably slip up and forget a few times, but I'll try to remember."

"It's a fair compromise," Mother Nature finally declared. While she couldn't change the rules, she could allow one of 'her children' to exploit a loophole, if it would make him happier. "Let us put it to a vote. All in favor of referring to the Tooth Fairy as 'Roy' when he's among his peers, raise your hands." And she raised hers.

Alpha and Tooth Fairy raised their hands so quickly that Cupid was startled by the sudden movement and nearly fluttered backwards into a wall. He quickly came back, acting as if that hadn't happened.

Santa raised his hand next, followed by Father Time and Jack Frost. Then Sandman nodded and followed suit.

Cupid folded his arms. He _still_ wasn't crazy about the name 'Roy', but knowing _why_ Tooth Fairy wanted it put things into perspective for him, and he finally sighed and raised his hand.

Easter Bunny did nothing, and Mother Nature turned to him.

"Easter Bunny?"

The rabbit's nose twitched, but he remained silent.

"Easter Bunny? In favor, or opposed?"

Easter Bunny finally scoffed and shook his head. "Look, we're in the same _boat!_ If _I_ can't change my name, why should _he_ be able to?"

The others gaped at this. Easter Bunny had never expressed displeasure with his name! Now his current poor attitude, while not really _excusable,_ began to make a bit of sense.

"You never mentioned wanting a name change before..." Mother Nature said gently.

"No one ever _asked!_ "

Tooth Fairy was inclined to be more sympathetic than most of the others, having known firsthand what it was like to be saddled with a name that he hated, and his anger was immediately gone. "Well, we're asking _now._ What would _you_ prefer?"

The rabbit was flustered, and he blinked as he fumbled with his words. "I...I don't know. I never thought that far ahead."

Alpha, who had long since stopped being angry herself, spoke more gently than before. "Well, if ye think of something you like better, you can always speak up, right?"

"Oh, forget it..." Easter Bunny folded his arms, embarrassed to have caused such a scene, but he felt like he was in it too deep to back down now. "There's no point in my voting anyway, if I'd be the only 'no'."

Mother Nature sighed in disappointment, both with the Easter Bunny and with herself. How could she _not_ have noticed that these two were so unhappy? Tooth Fairy had made his wishes known ages ago, but he had never explained why, and she hadn't asked. It was rare for this to happen, but she had failed 'her children'.

Alpha could not resist a little zinger. "I know how _that_ is."

She was, of course, referring to how she and Tooth Fairy had been outvoted on the subject of The Founders' punishment. Her memory was long, and while she had forgiven, she let that statement make it known that she would _not_ be forgetting anytime soon!

"Oooooh..." Jack Frost averted his gaze.

Easter Bunny frowned at her. "That's a little petty, isn't it?"

"You're right," Alpha held up a hand and sat back. "And I apologize. But you still have the right to cast your vote, unless there's something I missed."

Mother Nature smiled faintly. "There isn't."

The tension was so thick that even breathing felt like an endeavor, and finally the Easter Bunny heaved a deep sigh and raised a paw. "Okay..."

Tooth Fairy looked down sadly, but looked up again in surprise when Easter Bunny continued.

" _In favor_. I guess I was being petty, too. I don't know what got into me!"

Tooth Fairy wore the first genuinely happy smile he'd had since the Easter Bunny decided to pick on him. Knowing the reason _why,_ he quickly forgave him.

"Then, it's unanimous," Mother Nature beamed. "Motion carried!"

Tooth Fairy grinned and pulled Alpha into a gentle hug, remembering at the last second that she was still too sore for one of her favorite bear hugs. He never thought this day would come! He was so happy that he could have cried, but he kept himself in check and laughed instead. "Finally... _Finally..._ "

 _Note:_ _During the 'name change' scene in TSC2, I noticed that Easter Bunny seemed disgusted by the whole idea, while Cupid simply wasn't a fan of the names TF picked (To be fair, the name 'Plaque Man' sucks ass...). Also, while TF threw a little shade Cupid's way, he pretty much just took it when everyone but Santa shut him down. He looked so disappointed! :( So, I got_ _ **this**_ _idea._


	25. Chapter 25: Fractures and Storytime

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Alpha is still on light duty (Pearl's orders), so she goes to the Theater/Community Center to see what's what. TF meets her there, and decides to join her inside. When she gets there, she's ambushed by a group of children eager for a story. When Alpha tells a personal story of her own, he is absolutely floored by what he hears...though not in a bad way. Alpha learns something that floors_ _ **her,**_ _but not in a good way._

 _I'm afraid I've let 'It's A Boy' fall to the wayside, but I'll get back to it in a bit. This chapter seriously crosses over with that story, though, so don't be surprised when it eventually pops up there! I've been listening to the same white noise thing on YouTube for the past however-many chapters, so this time it was 'Peace of Mind' by Kevin Macleod for a change of pace._

"Chapter 25: Fractures and Storytime"

March 31st

Pearl lowered the back of Alpha's shirt and shook her head. "The bruises are hardly visible now. If you're still this sore, you may have cracked something back there."

Alpha bit back an annoyed retort. She had figured as much herself, but she was going just a little bit stir crazy. "If I did, it'll be mostly healed by now anyway."

"No tingling or numbness anywhere?" Pearl asked. If Alpha had indeed fractured her spine, this was cause for concern!

Alpha shook her head. "No, none at all. When do you think it's safe to get back to work? Harry had to take over my hunt on the twenty-ninth."

The Witch turned away and put the kettle on for a pot of tea, and her answer, while not unexpected, was disappointing. "Not for at least another week. You'll just have to take over one of his hunts later on to make it even, if it matters that much to you. You like chamomile?"

"Don't remember if I've ever had it," Alpha adjusted her shirt and came over to help, but Pearl waved her off.

"No, sit down. I could do this in my sleep." She measured out the dried chamomile flowers and put them in a tea strainer. "What are you going to tell Roy when he asks?"

Alpha sat down and watched; she didn't need to ask for clarification. "I'll just tell him it's taking longer to heal than we thought, which is true. I see no reason to give him the particulars."

" _Don't_ you?" Pearl set out two teacups.

"No," Alpha frowned. "What would _that_ accomplish? What's done is done, and I don't see any reason to upset him."

Omen jumped onto the table and batted Alpha's tea spoon onto the floor. "Fetch!"

Alpha grumbled and bent over to pick it up, then gasped as she moved in a way that her back did not appreciate. "Dammit, Omen, ye did that on purpose..."

Pearl tutted and scooped up the cat. " _Naughty_ kitty. Outside with you."

Alpha scowled as Pearl brought Omen to the door to let him out. The cat peeked over Pearl's shoulder and stuck out his rough pink tongue, and Alpha responded with a rude gesture of her own.

Pearl opened the door and said without turning around, "I hope that wasn't directed at _me,_ young lady."

"It wasn't," Alpha rolled her eyes. "Getting back to what you asked me, what's the point in tellin' him about somethin' that can't be helped now?"

The kettle began to steam, but it wasn't whistling yet. Pearl came back and joined Alpha at the table. "The point is, he's no fool. You told him it would be three days or so, because we thought it _would_ only be that long, and it's already gone a bit longer than that. We're at about a week now, so he's bound to ask questions. Do you intend to _lie_ to him?"

"No!" Alpha was offended by the question, but she deflated when she remembered that she and Tooth Fairy _had_ lied to each other in the past about their own well-being. It was a bad habit that they were both working on, and she had to admit that Pearl was right. He wasn't a child, and he deserved better than that. "I'll tell him if he asks."

Pearl wagged a finger. "Lie by omission..." She sing-songed. The kettle began to sing, almost as if in response.

"When did you turn into a pedant?" Alpha smirked.

"Learned it from you." Pearl patted Alpha patronizingly on the head as she got up to brew the tea. "It's like you said, he already knows you got injured. He might actually feel _better_ to know that you were honest with him, and that he didn't have to find out by accident. In fact, Omen demonstrated _one_ possible scenario. And if Roy finds out by doing something like hugging you too tight, he's _bound_ to feel terrible."

"Oh..." Alpha hadn't thought of that! "You're right. Very well, I'll tell him."

"Good. Sugar, dear?"

"No, thanks."

* * *

Alpha's windows were dark when Tooth Fairy arrived at The Hollow, but he saw Omen strolling along one of the cobbled streets, and he fluttered down to investigate. "Hey, Omen. What's new?"

The cat looked up and dropped the dead mouse he was carrying. "Not much. Alpha just left Pearl's after a check-up, and I think she said she was going to the Community Center to visit with some of the kids."

Tooth Fairy narrowed his eyes a bit. "Not that I'm not glad she's taking it easy, but that's really not like her. She's been fighting tooth and nail to keep busy."

The cat sat down and licked a forepaw, ignoring the unintentional pun. "True. She's anxious to get back to it. Pearl says she can't."

"Why not?"

Omen began to clean behind his ear. "I'll just let Alpha tell you herself."

"Or _you_ could tell me," Tooth Fairy suggested, putting his fists on his hips.

The cat laid back his ears and twitched his tail. "Do _I_ look like your girlfriend to you? Go ask her yourself. I'm not spending the day in the doghouse for gossiping. Again."

And with that, Omen retrieved his mouse and trotted off.

Tooth Fairy let his arms drop and shook his head. "Well...I don't know what _else_ I expected from a talking cat."

He took to the air once more and arrived just as Alpha did. She looked up when she heard the familiar patter of fluttering wings, and he waved as he came down to greet her.

"Hey, Roy." She grinned as he came over with open arms.

"Hey, Alpha." Tooth Fairy kissed her before enfolding her in a gentle hug. He had expected her to be fully healed by now, and Omen had only made him even more positive that she knew something he didn't. "So, I just ran into Omen."

Alpha rolled her eyes as she stepped back. "Say no more...I _was_ going to tell ye."

"He didn't really tell me _anything,_ just that you went to see Pearl and get checked out." Tooth Fairy tilted his head in concern. "You all right?"

She nodded, and then took his arm and guided him off to the side; they were blocking the door, and a group was approaching to go inside. Standing by the building's brown brick wall, Alpha lowered her voice to keep anyone from overhearing. "I'm fine. I'm just takin' a bit longer to heal than we thought I would."

"Why?"

 _There it is._ "It wasn't really obvious before, but now Pearl thinks I might have gotten a fracture or two on the way down." Alpha didn't pause for breath as his eyes widened in horror, and she put her hands on his shoulders as he sometimes did with her. "If I did, it's mostly healed by now. Everything's fine. I'll just need another week, is all."

Tooth Fairy nodded and let out his breath in a gusty sigh. He took this unwelcome news well enough, all things considered. "Okay. If you want, Dr. Hismus can probably take an X-ray to be sure. I'd bring you to _my_ doctor, but..."

He shut his mouth as if he had said too much.

Alpha cocked her head, then gently prompted, "But...?"

Tooth Fairy licked his lips as he sometimes did when he was nervous. "Outsiders...generally aren't _allowed_ in my town. And I haven't asked for permission yet..."

"Oh," Alpha nodded, and her brow furrowed. She couldn't help but wonder _why_ he hadn't done so, and while she didn't want to jump to any conclusions, it was hard not to think that he was keeping her a secret for some reason. This was something they would have to talk about at some point, but she didn't know if she was up for it today. "Well, I'm no' much for doctors anyway. Want to go in?"

Tooth Fairy had read her expression well enough, and he mentally kicked himself. He _was_ keeping her a secret for the time being, but it wasn't because he was ashamed of her. Far from it! "Alpha, I can explain."

"Roy...it's _fine._ " Alpha tried to reassure him that she wasn't upset. "We're the same way here when it comes to strangers."

"No..." Tooth Fairy shook his head with a heavy heart. He took her hands in his, wanting to set the record straight. "You're really _not._ Your people have accepted me _far_ more easily than mine would accept you. You're a member of the Council, so I could probably get the go-ahead to bring you there, no problem, but...I...Jeez, no matter _how_ I put this, it sounds terrible. They're not... _friendly._ Even when someone could get permission to bring a non-Fairy friend, those friends usually weren't treated very well, and I don't want that to happen to you."

"Ye think I can't take it?" She asked.

He shrugged and looked down. "You could probably take having it done better than I could take watching it happen..."

Alpha smirked. "So, it's not because I'm your dirty little secret?"

He looked up again and blinked. " _Gods,_ no! Alpha, I'm _so_ lucky to have you in my life; I could _never_ be ashamed of you. It's _them_ I'm a little ashamed of..."

She folded her arms and lost her smirk. "That bad, hm?"

Tooth Fairy sighed and looked away. "Just based on what I've witnessed in the past? Yeah. They'll probably make ya feel about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit."

Alpha laughed at that!

He gave a subdued snicker and went on, "Most of 'em are _okay,_ as in they'll mind their own business and not harass you, but some of us can be pretty brutal."

"So can humans." She pointed out.

"True..." Tooth Fairy began to play with his dental floss. "But other than the odd anomaly, humans don't really _have_ magic. It could be dangerous, and...I guess I've just been putting it off. I'm sorry if I gave ya the wrong idea."

She smiled and kissed him. "No, they're all valid points. Look, I won't pressure you about it. I just want to spend time with you, and I don't care where that happens. Besides, you're always welcome here."

"Why, thank you," He grinned.

"C'mon," Alpha took his hand and led him inside. "Someone usually reads or tells the kids a story right about now, so I thought I'd sit in and kill some time."

Tooth Fairy squeezed her hand. "Might wanna watch that around Father Time."

"Ooh, good point!"

* * *

Six children were hovering near the Story Carpet when Alpha and the Tooth Fairy entered the building, and four of the kids gasped joyfully and charged at them. " _Alphaaa!_ "

Tooth Fairy opened his mouth to caution them, but Alpha beat him to it.

"Gently, now, gently; Alpha's back is sore," She held up her hands, then knelt down when they obligingly stopped a foot away from her. "How is everyone today?"

"Goooood." They chorused.

Little Zoe held out her arms. "Can I have a huggie?"

"Sure!" Alpha opened her arms. "Not too tight, now."

Tooth Fairy didn't bother trying to hide his wide smile as he watched the four children converge on Alpha for a gentle group hug. It was beautiful to watch. Even as early as it was in their relationship, knowing that he wouldn't be able to have children with her made him a little bit wistful. It was clear to him that interacting with these kids helped fill the void in her heart, at least a little bit, and he could tell that she would defend these children every bit as fiercely as she would have defended her own. And, loving kids as much as he did, so would _he._ But now his mind was rambling on about a moot point.

He noticed that the other two children, who remained near the Story Carpet, hadn't approached and were looking a bit unsure. Well, that made sense to him! They knew Alpha very well, but he was a virtual stranger. He would have been concerned if the children _were_ comfortable with him right away!

Tristan, who seemed to be one of the more impish children of the group, looked between Alpha and Tooth Fairy, who had arrived holding hands. "Ooo-oooh, is he your _boyfriend?_ "

A Goblin woman, presumably Tristan's mother, hissed in an undertone. "Tristan..."

Tooth Fairy couldn't help but laugh. "I am."

Alpha took this in stride and stood up to take his hand. "This is Roy. Some of you have seen him before. Do ye want to say hello tae him?"

"Hi, Roy!" The children dutifully greeted him.

Tooth Fairy smiled and gave a brief, friendly wave. "Hiya, kids."

Zoe took one of Alpha's hands and Cynthia took the other, and Tooth Fairy trailed behind as Alpha was fairly dragged, laughing, over to the Story Carpet. "Storytime! Alpha, you _gotta_ tell us a story, you didn't tell us one in _forever!_ "

The other children echoed Zoe, even the two that had hung back, and Tooth Fairy moved to sit unobtrusively off to the side. He still felt a bit like an intruder here, and he knew that parents could be very defensive. Still, none of the other adults in the room seemed to mind his presence, and a few of them greeted him in passing, which he returned. He watched Alpha to see what she would do.

"Whoa, whoa, those things are attached, y'know!" Alpha laughed and gently freed her hands, then pulled up a chair for herself. "So, you want a story, do ye?"

"Yeah!" Tristan plopped down right where he was, sitting cross-legged. "Criss-cross applesauce, guys!"

The other kids sat down in a similar manner, except for one Witch child who seemed to be in her own little world and was spinning in circles.

Alpha called to her. "Lexi? Lexi, sit down, luv. That's right. All the way, on yer bottom, there ye go. Now, what story do you want to hear? 'The Hungry Caterpillar'?"

"Nooo!" They shook their heads.

"Hm...'The Cat In The Hat'?"

"Nooo!"

"Hmm...I think we have some 'Berenstain Bears' books around here somewhere..."

Cynthia shook her head again, and spoke up. "I wanna know about you when _you_ were a kid!"

The other children greatly liked this idea, and Tooth Fairy had to admit, at least to himself, that he was curious as well.

Alpha hadn't expected this. "Oh! Hm. Well, that was a _long_ time ago. What kind o' story would ye like to hear?"

Zoe piped up. "Were you ever _bad?_ "

Alpha exchanged a look with Tooth Fairy, and he raised his eyebrows and asked, "Well, _were_ you?"

She smirked back, and turned back to the children. "Well...I _do_ remember this _one_ time. Now, I should warn ye, parts of this story are a _wee_ bit scary. But as you can see, I'm still here today, so it has a happy ending. And there's a lesson to be learned, too."

" _Poop_ on that; lessons are for school..." Tristan grumbled, causing the other children to giggle, and Alpha to suppress a smile. Rather than acknowledge his mild transgression, which only would have egged him on, Alpha got on with the story.

"I was about your age when this happened. At the time, I had a habit of wandering off without tellin' anybody, and I didn't always want to do what my parents told me. Now, I had two older brothers, and I always wanted to do what _they_ were doing...even though I sometimes got on their nerves a bit. If they were off with our Da, learning how to tend the sheep, I wanted to be a part of it. Mum wanted me to stay inside and learn how to work the spinning wheel. Do ye know what that's like for a girl who likes to do boy things?" She leaned forward a bit. When the children shook their heads, she droned, "Booooooriiiiiing."

They giggled, and Tooth Fairy found himself being drawn into the story.

"So, I did what _any_ naughty child would do. I broke the rules every chance I got. And, one day, that got me intae _big_ trouble."

"Oooh," Tristan grinned, and the other kids took this up and said right along with him, "You got in _trouble!_ "

"Aye," Alpha nodded, folding her hands on her lap. "So I did, but maybe not the kind o' trouble you're thinkin' about. One day, my brother Andrew and my brother Copin decided to explore the moors when our father had business elsewhere. I don't remember where he went now, but it kept him away for most o' that day."

Tooth Fairy listened as attentively as the children.

"Well, _I_ wanted to go too, but my brothers said no. They said I was 'too little', and then they told me to go back inside. And that really made me _mad,_ y'know?" She made a fake mad-face and asked, "You ever get _mad_ sometimes?"

"Yeah!" They answered, and Tristan added, "I hate being called 'too little'!"

"So did I!" Alpha nodded, "So ye know what I did?"

The children shook their heads.

"I watched them go, then I snuck out after them." Alpha replied in a conspiratorial whisper. "I followed them for I don't know how long, and they never even knew I was there. Now, along the way I got distracted by the pretty heather."

"What's heather?" Asked Cynthia.

"It's a flower," Alpha explained, "One that grows in Scotland, where I'm from. It's purple. Very nice to look at. I thought it might be nice to bring some home to my mother...and I also thought I might be in _less_ trouble if I showed up with a present. That doesn't work, by the way. So, I went off and picked a bouquet of heather while my brothers went off in another direction. Now, I just want tae point out that this was a _very_ dangerous thing for me to do. I could have gotten lost _forever,_ and it rains a lot in Scotland. And it gets _very_ chilly."

"Where are your brothers now?" Asked Zoe.

Alpha faltered only briefly. "They're in Heaven, luv."

"Oh..." Zoe looked down.

Alpha glossed over this, more to avoid upsetting the kids than to avoid the issue herself. "After a while, I got tired, and I decided it was time to go home. But do you know what happened?"

The kids shook their heads.

"I didn't _know_ the way home," Alpha said gravely. "Everything looked the same to me. And I didn't know where my brothers went, either. And it started to rain. I walked, and I walked...and I was _very_ scared. I should have listened to my brothers and stayed at home. I should have listened to me Mum and learned how to make yarn at the spinning wheel. But that night found me alone on the moors, frightened, cold, and wet. And, after a long time, it got dark. And I was _so_ tired. So...I curled up in a thicket and fell asleep."

The kids would have been on the edge of their seats if they weren't sitting on a carpet, and even the Tooth Fairy leaned forward to hear the rest of the story. Obviously it turned out well, because she was still there to tell the tale.

"Did you cry?" Asked Cynthia.

Alpha nodded. "A little. You see, I'd never been away from home at night before, and I didn't know if I would ever get back. Also, all those years ago, there were still wild wolves in Scotland."

"Like you?" Lexi took her fingers out of her mouth long enough to ask.

Alpha shook her head and smiled. "No, not quite. _These_ wolves couldn't walk on two legs like me, and they couldn't turn into people or talk. They were just normal animals. Not actually _bad,_ they could still be very dangerous. And for a six-year-old, hearing wolves howling in the distance is a very scary thing indeed."

"Did they get you?" Tristan's eyes were as round as dinner plates.

Cynthia turned and swatted his shoulder with one of her six hands. "'Course not, _stupid!_ She's right here!"

"Ow! Alpha, Cynthia hit me!" Tristan held his arm like he had been punched.

"I saw that," Alpha frowned. "Cynthia, you know better. If you're goin' tae fight, I'll just stop the story right here."

The other children turned and pressured Cynthia to apologize; they wanted the rest of the story. The little Spider girl rolled her eight eyes and grumbled. "I'm sorry...but he's _still_ stupid."

"None o' ye are stupid," Alpha said firmly. " _That_ wasn't very nice, either."

"Okay, okay...sorry."

Tristan immediately stopped with the crocodile tears. "That's okay. Alpha, can we have the rest of the story now? It was just getting _good!_ "

"All right, if ye all promise to behave," Alpha tried to look severe, but she was quite sure that Tooth Fairy could see the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth in its effort to escape.

"We promise!"

Alpha nodded, satisfied that the squabble was over. "All right, then. And no, the wolves weren't after me at all. They were far away, and howling is just how they tell each other 'here I am'. But at the time, I didn't know that, and I thought for _certain_ that they were coming to make a snack out o' me! And, somehow, I managed to fall asleep through all that. And then someone found me."

By now, Tooth Fairy wasn't sure who was more interested in the story; the children, or him! It had been a long time since he'd heard a good story, and he was enjoying this!

"I was sleepin', but it wasn't really a _good_ sleep. I was cold, and I dreamt I was swimming in the ocean and couldnae get back to shore, no matter what I did. So, when I heard a small sound in real life...could've been a twig snapping, but it sounded more like someone snappin' their fingers...I opened my eyes to see a pretty lady sittin' next to me. She asked me how I got all the way out there, but at the time I didn't understand much o' what she was sayin'. We mostly spoke Gaelic at home, and she spoke to me in English. I knew _some_ English, though, and I at _least_ knew that she'd asked me a question."

This got Tooth Fairy's attention. Why would a lone woman be out on the moors at night, in the rain, snapping her fingers? It didn't make sense for a human to do so...but this scenario reminded him of something he'd forgotten about centuries ago.

"I thought I was still dreamin' at first, so I asked her, 'When did I get out o' the water?'. And she sort of blinked, and answered back in the language I knew, 'Well, it's raining now, so in a way you're still _in_ the water'. And she asked me again, 'How did you get all the way out here?' And then I realized I wasn't dreaming, and I just grabbed ontae her and started _bawling._ "

"Aw," Tooth Fairy said before he could stop himself, and blushed when Alpha glanced at him with a smile.

"And I said what any child would say in a situation like that; I told her I wanted to go home. And she picked me up and began to walk." Alpha paused as she remembered something, and she glanced at Tooth Fairy. Or, more specifically, his wings. "Thinkin' back, I'm not entirely sure she was human. But as it turned out, she told me she noticed that a man and two older boys were _also_ out wandering the moors that night, calling out for someone, and looking every bit as scared as _I_ was."

Lexi took her hand out of her mouth again. "But she was a _stranger._ Aren't strangers bad?"

Alpha considered how to answer this one. "That's a very good point, Lexi. And no, not all strangers are bad. Ye just have to be very careful, especially when you're little, because it can be hard to tell the good strangers from the bad ones. That's why it's important to listen to what your parents tell ye, even if their rules are boring sometimes. Lucky for _me,_ the stranger who found me was one o' the nice ones."

Lexi stuck her fingers back into her mouth.

"So, this lady carried me across the moors, somehow managing to avoid rolling her ankle on the loose rocks that littered the ground. To this day, I have no idea how she found her way! It was almost like she could see in the dark." Alpha smiled as she remembered the kind woman. "She talked as she walked, and before long I wasn't scared anymore. I asked her what her name was, and...oh dear, what was it? I've forgotten...I think it began with a 'C'."

Tooth Fairy had a moment of thunderstruck intuition, and he hesitantly asked, "It wasn't 'Cori' by any chance, was it?"

"Yes, that's it!" Alpha pointed a finger, then frowned. "How did ye know?"

He realized his mouth was hanging open, and he shut it as he shook his head. He didn't want to derail the story, but _this_ turn of events had really thrown him for a loop!

"What is it?" Now more concerned than confused, Alpha turned in her seat to look at him.

"You'll never believe it."

"Try me."

Tristan grew impatient. "What?"

Tooth Fairy stared at Alpha with something akin to shock. "I think you met my _mom_ that night."

Alpha went pale. "Well...that explains why it felt like she had wings, even though I couldn't see them!"

He shook his head. "This is too weird..."

"Ye know what's even weirder?" Alpha almost seemed to have forgotten the children in her surprise. "The name 'Cori' has several different meanings, depending on where in the world ye are, but _one_ of them is, 'lives in or near a _hollow_ '."

They stared at each other for about three seconds, and then they were laughing. The kids looked from one of them to the other, somewhat confused, and finally Cynthia got up to leave.

"Wait, Cynthia, the story isn't done," Alpha called after her.

"Bored now," Cynthia called over her shoulder and went to play with the toys. Still, Alpha and Tooth Fairy both noticed that she stayed close enough to hear the rest of the story.

"Well," Alpha shrugged, "to be fair, we _did_ interrupt the story. Time to wrap things up! Now, _Cori_ brought me back to where she had seen the man and the two boys, and when we were close enough I heard the man calling my name, and I realized it was my Da! And I'm afraid I forgot my manners a bit; I called back, and began struggling to get down."

Tooth Fairy chuckled at this. Knowing his mother's temperament, this would have been taken in good humor, and she simply would have been relieved and gratified to have reunited a lost child with her family. He did feel a wave of nostalgia, though; as seldom as he thought of her, at times he still missed her dearly.

"The lady...Cori...put me down, and told me to 'run along and don't trip'." Alpha smiled and sent another look in her boyfriend's direction.

"Yeah, that sounds like her," He nodded with a gentle smile.

"Well! My father was so relieved that he forgot to scold me for runnin' off, and the four of us went home, where I was given a bath and sent to bed. The next day, me mum celebrated my safe return by puttin' me on punishment. I wasn't allowed to go out and play. In fact, I wasn't tae leave her _side,_ or she told me I'd be in even worse trouble. And I didn't, either. Of course, nobody believed my story about the 'nice lady', but that was okay. _I_ knew the truth."

Tooth Fairy nodded sagely, having expected that. Human adults were less open to stories like this one being true, and logic would dictate that no sane person, male or female, would be out on the moors on a rainy night! Also, children were known to tell the occasional tall tale, so her parents could be excused for being skeptical.

"After that night, I became a _very_ well-behaved little girl. I didn't talk back. I did as I was told. I even tried to learn how to use that dumb old spinning wheel," She stuck out her tongue, and the kids giggled; Cynthia had wandered back by now, and was cuddling a stuffed dragon plushie. "And _that_ lasted for about a week, all told. But I never _did_ wander off like that again. And that's the story of how I learned a valuable lesson...and met someone who turned out to be more than what she seemed."

The kids clapped, and Tooth Fairy and a few of the other adults joined in.

Lexi's mother came over, finally having noticed what her daughter was doing, and cleaned the child's spittle-soaked hand with a wipe. Lexi whined until this was done, and seemed to contemplate sticking her fingers back into her mouth in an act of defiance, but with her mother watching she couldn't quite get up the nerve to do so. Lexi looked back up at Alpha, and said out of the blue, "I like you better as a lady than a wolf."

"Lexi..." The girl's mother chided.

Alpha wasn't exactly offended, but she _was_ a little confused. None of the children had ever said something like this to her before, and she didn't know what brought this on. "Why is that, Lexi?"

Lexi shrugged and looked down as if she expected to be scolded.

"It's all right, I'm not angry. Why did you say that?" Alpha encouraged her, and when Lexi's mother nodded to show it was all right, the girl grew brave.

"Because you can't eat us up when you're a lady," The child said in that matter-of-fact way that children had.

Alpha's stomach dropped, and her voice grew even _more_ gentle than before. "Why on _Earth_ would I ever want tae eat ye?"

Lexi looked down and mumbled, "'Cause Viola said so...She said if we were bad an' made too much noise, you'd get mad and _eat_ us."

Zoe, Tristan, and Cynthia nodded, but the other two children didn't seem to know what this was all about.

Several of the parents gasped. Alpha turned white as a sheet as her face took on a thousand-yard stare. Tooth Fairy _gaped._

Lexi saw their reactions, and she wondered if she _had_ just done something bad. Her lower lip jutted out and began to tremble. "I don't _want_ you to..."

" _No..._ "Alpha got up to approach, but Lexi shrank back, and Alpha froze and got down on one knee right where she was instead. "No, Lexi, I would _never_ do that. Not _ever._ I love ye too much! Viola was...she was a very mean person. She wasn't tellin' ye the truth. Okay?"

Lexi ran forward, crying, and flung her arms around Alpha. The hug must have hurt, but Alpha gave no sign of this as she hugged back.

"Oh, luv...I'm _so_ sorry you were scared. And I'm so sorry it was _me_ that scared ye! But I'd never harm _any_ of ye. Do you understand that?" Alpha was fighting back tears of her own, but she was determined not to cry in front of these kids. This revelation was upsetting enough!

"Yes," Lexi sniffled, letting go and rubbing her eyes, still hiccuping a little.

Lexi's mother was horrified. "Alpha, we had no idea! I would've _told_ her, and...Alpha, I'm sorry."

Alpha nodded and got to her feet, rubbing at her sore back a little, and Tooth Fairy was at her side in an instant. "It's no' your fault. The ones responsible for that have been dealt with. I just wish I knew about this sooner."

Tooth Fairy saw how hard it was for Alpha to hold it together, and he spotted a stack of construction paper and some crayons on a nearby table. He whispered in her ear, "Need a minute?"

"Aye," She whispered back.

Tooth Fairy turned to the kids, who were beginning to look rather bored. "Say, _I_ have an idea. Who likes to color?"

"Meee!" The children raised their hands and bounced up and down.

"Great! C'mon, I'll show you kids how to draw a horsey." He waved everyone over to the table, and as the kids ran over to claim their art supplies he gave Alpha's hand a gentle squeeze and whispered, "Go on, sweetheart. I'll check on ya in a few."

Alpha nodded and beat a hasty retreat for Room C, which was empty at the moment and had become the semi-official meeting room for the City Council. Thankfully, she made it inside before the tears came.

* * *

Tooth Fairy was privately surprised that the parents in the room were okay with him interacting with their kids, but he took it as a good sign. He would have enjoyed drawing pictures with them, if he wasn't so concerned about Alpha. Even though he had grown comfortable with expressing his emotions in front of her, he also understood that sometimes a person just needed to cry alone, and he knew that this setting was too public for her to allow such openness for herself.

Cynthia looked at Tristan's drawing with scorn. "Horses aren't _green,_ dum-dum."

Tristan looked over at hers and snorted. "They don't have _bird wings_ either, dipstick."

"It's a _pegasus._ " Cynthia nudged him, smirking. "Dingbat."

"Turd." He smirked back.

Zoe giggled at them and colored her own horse pink.

"Hey," Tooth Fairy frowned. "Enough with the name-calling. And anyway, that's what's so fun about drawing. You can make it any color you want, and why _not_ give it wings, huh?"

"You like my pegasus?" Cynthia asked, showing it to him.

"Sure!" Tooth Fairy grinned and pointed at the drawing's face. "You gave him eight eyes, just like you! That's pretty neat."

"Thank you, Roy!" Cynthia smiled, taking her drawing back to work on it some more.

"You're welcome. Zoe, can I see yours?"

The little Witch shook her head and covered the paper. "It's not done yet. I wanna show you it when it's done."

"Oh, okay," Tooth Fairy nodded, then glanced over his shoulder. Alpha still wasn't back yet. He anxiously poked out the tip of his tongue, then tapped out a beat on the table and got to his feet. "Tell ya what, you can show me when I get back, okay?"

"Okay."

Tooth Fairy left the children behind with the other adults and went off in search of Alpha. He met her as she was coming down the hallway, and although her eyes were red and a little puffy, she seemed composed. "Hey...You all right?"

Alpha shrugged and went into his open arms. "Not really...She was afraid of me. She's known me all her life. I held her the day after she was born, and she was _afraid_ of me. How many more of'm were told I'd _eat_ them?"

He sighed, rubbing her back, but very lightly. "Well...now that you know about this, you can set the record straight. I'm real sorry this happened, Alpha..."

"Yeah, me too..." Alpha stepped back and forced a little smile. "Well...spilt milk. Fortunately, there's a relatively easy fix for this one...I'm just sorry it happened at all."

"Yeah..."

Alpha hugged him again and sighed. "Thanks for the break, luv...What're the kids up to? Still coloring?"

"Among other things," Tooth Fairy smirked as he remembered the name-calling, which brought back some amusing memories of his antics as a child, and he kissed the side of her head. "They're drawing horses for ya. Wanna go see?"

"Aye," Alpha linked hands with him and they ambled back down the hall. "So, that nice lady was your _mum._ I _still_ can't wrap my head around that one!"

"Me neither!" Tooth Fairy chuckled. "I remember her telling us all about how she found a lost little girl one night as she passed through Scotland, and the details were similar enough to make me go 'hmm', but I didn't think it was actually _her_ until you said her initial. This has _got_ to be the weirdest coincidence I've ever seen or been a part of."

"Can't say the same," Alpha smiled back. "Down here, weirdness is par for the course, so at this point I just sort of go with it."

"Maybe that's why I fit in better here than I do at home," Tooth Fairy said wryly.

"You stop that," Alpha tapped their linked hands against his hip in a mild scolding. "You're not weird. Wait...am _I_ weird?"

Tooth Fairy knew bait when he saw it, and this time he took it with a mischievous smile. "You're... _quirky._ "

"Well, I found the right man, then!" Alpha smiled back.


	26. Chapter 26: Cat's Out of the Bag

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _On his way to gain permission for Alpha to enter his town, TF runs into a fellow he grew up with and decides to hold off on that. Also, remember Jack Frost and Cupid? Yeah, I didn't forget about their little wager! But for a moment, Robert forgets that he was sworn to secrecy. Alpha and TF discuss what to do about their meddling colleagues._

"Chapter 26: Cat's Out of the Bag"

April 7th

Tooth Fairy had decided on a course of action. Even though Alpha had been gracious about his decision not to ask for permission to bring her to his town, at least for the time being, Tooth Fairy was painfully conscious of how uneven this made things. He had slept at The Hollow twice, and he visited it nearly every day, both to see Alpha and to interact with the other new friends he'd made there. It didn't seem to bother _her_ that he hadn't asked permission yet, since she knew what his reasons were, but he wasn't a mind-reader, and the situation _did_ bother _him._ Now that he was forced to really think about it, he knew what he had to do. It was time to speak with the mayor.

Spring had finally arrived in Tooth Fairy's hometown, and he removed his light jacket and draped it over his arm as he walked. There was still a bit of a chill in the air, and the buds on the trees had finally begun to open, but he was so used to how cold it was in the North Pole that he felt uncomfortably warm. This place had never really felt like home to him, even when he'd still had his family with him, but he'd always looked forward to Spring here.

As time went on, especially during the twentieth century, the world grew more and more polluted. He knew that it caused Mother Nature tremendous grief, to see her gifts and blessings being squandered as they were, but there _were_ still places on this planet of theirs that stayed relatively untouched. This town, whose people worked _with_ the environment instead of trying to completely erase what had been given them, was one of those places.

He inhaled a lungful of fresh, sweet air as he looked up at the sky. This was one of those Spring days that boasted a sky so bright and blue that it almost seemed to sparkle. Fluffy white clouds drifted here and there over his head, casting large shadows on the vast, grassy hills. He saw a group of Fairy children running barefoot through the grass, trying to outdistance one of the shadows, and if their laughter was anything to go by they were having a _grand_ old time. His eyes grew distant as his mind called up a long-forgotten memory.

 _'Ooh...Brinna! Are you thinking what I'm thinking?'_

 _'Cloud raciiiing!'_

 _'Yeah!'_

Tooth Fairy hastily looked away, then gasped and began to apologize as he nearly bumped into someone. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't-Oh. Hello, Aiden."

The other Fairy was about the same height as Tooth Fairy, but he had a lean build and a rather pointy noise. Aiden wore his red hair in a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and his feet were tucked into a pair of brown leather shoes with silver buckles on them. His green suit was working-class at best, but he carried himself like royalty.

Tooth Fairy's walls immediately went up. _Some things never change._

Aiden and Tooth Fairy were the same age, almost down to the exact day, but since Aiden hadn't been aged up by his job he could easily have passed for a human of twenty-five. The two things that gave away his true heritage were on his back. His blue wings were large and striking, with a scalloped edge that Tooth Fairy did not possess (nor did he want to), and he gave them a single flap as if to show them off. "Well, if it isn't girly-wings! It's been a while, hasn't it?"

 _Not long enough._ Tooth Fairy forced his mouth into a tight smile. He knew he had no room to talk when it came to physical features, but he had always privately thought that Aidan looked like a stoat. Now, with Aiden's red hair, green clothes, and wings, Tooth Fairy had a rather uncharitable thought. _Look at this guy...He's Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, all rolled into one!_ "I suppose it has."

"Where've you been keeping yourself lately? We've hardly seen hide or hair of you since last November." Aiden's friendly expression never faltered, but there was still an undercurrent of 'I'm better than you', which had been there since the two of them were boys.

"I've been around," Tooth Fairy shrugged, throwing his shoulders back and unconsciously straightening his spine to stand at his full height of six feet. He normally stood at around five-foot-eleven, but with the amount of flying he did, he had a bit of a slouch when he was relaxed. At that moment, he was most certainly _not_ relaxed.

"Where are you off to?" Aiden made no move to get out of his way.

"Just out for a walk. Good seeing you again." _Oberon forgive me for the lie..._

Tooth Fairy attempted to sidestep him, but Aiden blocked his way. Tooth Fairy buzzed his wings in irritation and fluttered into the air, but Aiden matched him exactly. "What was it you wanted?"

"Oh, I'm just curious. There's a little rumor going around about you." Aiden clasped his hands disarmingly behind his back.

 _Most of the rumors going around about me were started by_ _ **you.**_ _Same with this one?_

"I don't pay much attention to rumors," Tooth Fairy considered just zipping around Aiden, but decided against it. Running (or flying) away was seen as cowardly, and if he left now he would lose face. "And why are you so interested in my personal life? It's not that shocking, trust me."

"Back in January, William thought he saw you leave your house with a human."

Tooth Fairy kept his expression strictly neutral, but internally his heart sank. William was another male Fairy with small wings (orange, in his case), and even though he usually meant well, he _was_ a bit of a gossip. This could be _very_ bad! "Nope."

Aiden held up a finger and waved it back and forth in a 'no-no' motion that made Tooth Fairy angry. "William is an idiot, but he's not a liar. And after he saw you leave with her, you've been more of a recluse than you usually are. Not breaking the rules, are you?"

Tooth Fairy scowled, his polite veneer beginning to crack.

Aiden went on. "Because if you are, that could be _very_ bad for you. Just because you're a Legendary Figure doesn't mean that you should get preferential treatment. I _know_ you don't have permission to bring an outsider here. What I don't understand is why you wouldn't _seek_ it."

There was a low sound, and Tooth Fairy realized that he had actually _growled_ in response to this. It was a very human sound, and he realized too late that it made him look guilty.

"So, it _is_ true," Aiden nodded, then laughed. "Come on, Tooth Fairy! Bringing a human here is against the rules. And if you're actually _seeing_ this woman, then you need some serious help. I know you haven't had much luck with women, but I didn't realize your standards were _that_ low! I mean, I know beggars can't be choosers, but-"

Tooth Fairy was in Aiden's face before he could stop himself, but he didn't put his hands on the other Fairy, tempting though it was. "I can tell you with _one hundred percent certainty_ that I have _never_ had a human in my house. William doesn't know what he's talking about. And neither do you. Now...are you gonna let me pass, or am I gonna have to knock you out of the air? You _know_ I can do it, Aiden..."

Aiden raised his eyebrows, momentarily surprised, then he fluttered off to the side and gestured with an exaggerated bow for Tooth Fairy to pass.

"Thank you." Tooth Fairy zipped past Aiden, half expecting the other Fairy's foot to collide with his buttocks, but it didn't. They had an immense dislike for each other, but they were no longer children. Aiden could no longer do such things without looking like an immature jackass, and Tooth Fairy was no longer a meek little boy who was afraid to talk back.

Still...on second thought, maybe bringing Alpha here _would_ be a bad idea. He had thought that no one even knew she existed, but apparently they not only _knew_ about her, but had already formed an opinion. Or, at least, one of them had. Unfortunately, this one was a mean-spirited bully. At first glance, Aiden had grown and matured. Tooth Fairy knew better. _Some people just learn to be more sneaky about it._

Tooth Fairy headed for the grocery store instead. There _was_ a sale on avocados, after all. His mind turned to thoughts of guacamole.

* * *

Back at The Hollow, a City Council meeting had just ended, and Alpha walked with Sarah as the group filed out of Room C. "I might've known there'd be no easy fix for _this_ one."

Alpha was referring to the matter of what was to be done with the land North of the town. It was almost as if the site of the mansion was cursed, because no one seemed to know what to do with it, nor even wanted to entertain the idea of building there. The Witches had burned sage there and said a blessing; in fact, they had done this more than once. The dark energy had long since dissipated, but everyone knew what that place had been before. To build there _now_ had the more superstitious townsfolk up in arms about it. And Alpha was of a similar mind. Still, that was a _huge_ plot of land, and it seemed a shame to waste it.

Sarah shook her head. "We're not gonna solve it today, sister."

"No," Alpha agreed, hooking her thumbs in her pockets as they walked.

"So, when're you gonna bring the boyfriend over to hang out with Gemma and me?" Sarah flashed her fangs in a grin. "Y'know, we could do dinner, play cards, what do you think?"

Alpha looked at the Vampiress and pointed out with a smile, "You don't eat."

"Pf, so? Gemma does, and from what I hear she's a pretty good cook." Sarah adjusted her bandanna. "How's this weekend sound? We wanna get to know the guy who turned our leader's head."

While Alpha suspected it was more Sarah than Gemma who wanted to get to know Roy, she didn't think it was a bad idea. "I'll have to run it by him and see what he wants to do, but it sounds like fun. Just remember, he works nights, so it would have to be during the day and after he's slept."

"Long as he doesn't ask me if _I_ sleep in a coffin, we can work around his schedule," Sarah laughed, and Alpha joined in. Then Sarah did a double-take, and pointed. "Robert, I see you! Hey, Roy."

* * *

As soon as Tooth Fairy showed his face at the Theater/Community Center, Robert tossed a crumpled up piece of construction paper at his head. "Hey, it's Wingman!"

The wad of paper bounced off Tooth Fairy's temple, and he looked down at it before picking it up and chucking it back with a smirk. There were no children there at the moment, so he wasn't worried about teaching them bad habits. "Think you lost this."

Robert hopped down off the table (where he knew he wasn't supposed to sit, but no one seemed to care at the moment) and walked over. "Haven't seen _you_ in a dog's age. Doin' good?"

Tooth Fairy was struck by the similarities between Robert's greeting and Aiden's, but in this case he knew it was harmless, and he wasn't offended by it. "Can't complain. You?"

"I can _always_ complain, but nobody gives a crap," Robert grinned. "How's things with you and Alpha? I see you leaving her house a lot. You wouldn't be doing the 'walk of shame', by any chance, would you?"

 _Walk of shame? Oberon's teeth..._

" _Why_ do you need to know that?" Tooth Fairy folded his arms. Robert was a friend at this point, but he was still a twit.

Robert snorted. "Yeah, you're totally not. Well, what're you waiting for? The opportunity is right _there,_ man! _Go_ for it!"

Tooth Fairy lowered his voice to an angry hiss. " _Shut up,_ would you? I don't ask you about _your_ sex life! And don't tell me, 'cause I don't wanna know."

The Vampire held up his hands and took a step back. Tooth Fairy wasn't much taller than he was, but he was a heck of a lot bulkier, and even a gentle person had his limits. "Okay, _okay,_ chill out. I like to tease people, but I can see I hit a nerve. My bad."

"Are you _that_ bored?" Tooth Fairy's ruffled feathers smoothed down somewhat, and he leaned back against a wall, his upper half bent slightly forward to avoid pressure on his wings.

"Yeah," Robert picked up another piece of construction paper and began folding it into a paper airplane. "We don't really go topside unless we need blood. Too easy to get distracted and end up greeting our last sunrise 'cause we went too far from the Ring we took. So, we run out of things to do pretty quick."

Tooth Fairy furrowed his brow. "Sorry, 'last sunrise'?"

Robert rolled his eyes. "Well, you didn't think we _sparkled,_ did ya?"

"Haha!" Tooth Fairy grinned. "No, I didn't. Not a big fan of Twilight, huh?"

"You tell _me._ Nah, it'd be more like a fatal case of sunburn. Only takes about five seconds to become a crispy critter, and another five seconds to turn into dust. Not a fun way to go, from what I've seen..." Robert sent the airplane sailing across the room. It collided with the side of Harry's head as he emerged from the meeting, and stuck in his fur like a dart. "Ahahaha! Nice look, Harry!"

Harry smiled wide, showing off a set of large, human-like teeth, and sailed the plane back at Robert on his way out. "Watch it, you'll poke someone's eye out."

"With a paper airplane? Gimme a break."

Then Robert stiffened at the sound of laughter coming from further down the hall. "Was that Sarah?"

Tooth Fairy brightened at the sound of Alpha's laughter, and distractedly answered Robert. "Uh-huh."

"Aw man, she scares the _crap_ outta me! I'm out." Robert turned to leave, but froze when Sarah spotted him.

"Robert, I see you! Hey, Roy."

Robert turned back, muttering, "Oh, good."

"Hi," Tooth Fairy greeted her back, watching Robert's reaction with amusement.

"Rob, you still got that overdue book?" Sarah already seemed to know the answer, judging by her expectant look. "Nick's been breathing down my neck about it because you keep dodging him, and he seems to think you'll listen to _me_. For some reason."

Alpha passed Robert on her way to Tooth Fairy, and ruffled his purple hair. "Didn't know ye could read, bub."

"Oh, _ehehehehe,_ " Robert laughed sarcastically and smoothed his hair back down. "Yeah, I got it."

"Well, _return_ that shit. Stop making me be the middle man." Sarah rolled her eyes and approached Tooth Fairy and Alpha, who were speaking in low voices. "Did you ask him?"

Tooth Fairy had merely been exchanging greetings with Alpha, and he was visibly confused. "Ask me what?"

Alpha shook her head. "No, I was getting to that."

Sarah put her fists on her hips and grinned. "I wanted to know if you and Alpha wanted to join Gemma and I for dinner and card games at our place this weekend. You interested?"

Tooth Fairy was pleasantly surprised by this. He knew that Gemma was still unsure about him, since he lived on the surface, and he welcomed the chance to prove himself and make a couple new friends in the process! "Sure, it sounds like fun. Uhh, what night and what time? I can't stay any later than eight, unfortunately."

"Saturday at five sound good?"

He looked at Alpha, who shrugged as if to say it was up to him, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and nodded happily. "We'll see you there."

"Great!" Sarah walked off without another word.

Robert smirked at Tooth Fairy and Alpha. "Aw, just look at you two. Looks like Jack was ri-Oop!" He clapped both hands over his mouth and took a step back, already planning his escape.

Alpha was more focused on Robert's sudden guilty behavior than on the name itself, and she narrowed her eyes. "What d'ye mean?"

Tooth Fairy withdrew his arm and took a step forward. "Jack who? You mean Jack _Frost?_ "

"Uhhh, bye!" Robert transformed into a bat and tried to fly off.

Quick as lightning, Tooth Fairy shot out one of his big mitts and caught the bat mid-flight. Robert's screech was one of surprise, not pain; Tooth Fairy simply wanted to get answers, not hurt him. "Ohhh, no you don't. What was Jack 'right' about, and why're you scared to tell us?"

A series of high-pitched squeaks came from the trapped bat, and they could _almost_ make out what Robert was saying.

Alpha snickered in spite of herself. "Well, change _back_ first. Right now, ye sound like a mouse whose parachute won't open!"

Tooth Fairy felt the tiny form in his hand beginning to grow, and he quickly released it. A moment later, Robert stood sheepishly before him. "What's going on?"

Robert shook his head. He didn't give his word very often, but he tried never to break it when he did, and he was disgusted with himself. "Look, I _promised_ not to say anything. I just slipped up. Can't we just pretend that didn't happen?"

Alpha glanced at Tooth Fairy, and stepped in to handle this one. Robert was unlikely to spill his guts to Tooth Fairy after he'd made a promise, but Alpha was another story. "What if we made a promise in turn?"

Tooth Fairy looked over at her and frowned. What was she up to? He kept silent, wanting to know what this was about just as badly as she did.

"Like what?" Robert asked.

Alpha clasped her hands behind her back. "You tell us what Jack Frost said to ye, and we won't let on that ye told us."

Tooth Fairy nodded in agreement. That seemed fair to him!

Robert folded his arms as he thought this over, then nodded back. "Okay. You know how we paired off to look for the Gremlins? I mean, this was before we knew what was eating everything in sight, but yeah. So, anyways, I went off with Jack, and we got to talking, and he said he was trying to fix you two up."

Alpha's expression didn't change much, but Tooth Fairy looked stunned. He shook his head. "Well, he hasn't really said much of _anything_ to us, let alone anything about us getting together, so I don't see how..."

"Cupid..." Alpha muttered.

"Huh?" Tooth Fairy grunted.

"What?" Robert looked at her. "Cupid didn't mention-"

Alpha began to laugh. It was a low, staccato sound that sent a shiver down Tooth Fairy's spine; it was almost sinister. "What's the joke, Alpha?"

" _We_ are, apparently," She folded her arms and thought back on that day when she and Cupid searched one of the warehouses. "That same day, Cupid and I were searching elsewhere, and he was asking me all these leading questions about the two of us. I just sort of wrote it off, because...I mean, he's _Cupid._ It sort of made sense tae me that he'd be nosy about that, even if his arrows wouldn't work on us. Oh! And I just remembered something else!"

Storm clouds had already begun to gather on Tooth Fairy's face. "What?"

Alpha lowered her voice, remembering where they were. "It was back in January. That day I was first sent to check up on ye, I was told it was Jack's idea for the Council to send _me._ And at the time, that made sense, too."

She didn't have to explain why. He hadn't been talking to the other Council members at the time, and he really _had_ been in desperate need of a friend. In fact, his Fairy friends back home (yes, he did have a few) hadn't even bothered to swing by and ask him why he hadn't been out and about. Aside from Aiden, no one had even indicated that they'd noticed he was gone when he _did_ start mingling once more. It didn't even _hurt,_ not really. They were busy with family and children; he understood. He was used to it. What he _wasn't_ used to was his friends on the Council conspiring behind his back! "Why would they _do_ something like that?"

"I don't know. Are they the type to play games?" Alpha toned herself down even more when she saw how bewildered he was, and that he was even a little bit hurt.

Robert had figured out that Jack and Cupid didn't have any malicious intent, and he still felt guilty about breaking his promise to Jack, so he cleared his throat and interrupted. "Hey, I think it was coming from a good place. You guys made friends pretty quick, right? And look, you're _happy_ together, right?"

"Yeah, but that's not the point," Tooth Fairy moved off, his back to them and his arms crossed. He _was_ happy with her, for the most part. _Neither_ of them was happy while the other was upset, of course. But just _being_ with Alpha, being able to have fun with her, and being able to talk to her about anything? It was just like having a best friend. An _attractive_ best friend, and one he wouldn't mind...

 _Cut it out, dummy. Now's not the time._

"The _point_ is, you can't play with people that way." Alpha contained her anger rather well, but she _was_ angry. She'd had her heart broken before, and she knew she could take it. But Roy? Jack and Cupid _knew_ he was vulnerable back then, and if things had gone badly, it wouldn't have been _those two_ dealing with the fallout.

But it _had_ worked out. At least, it had _so far._

Tooth Fairy had said something, and Alpha realized she'd spaced out and missed it. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I said, 'Cupid actually _can_ play with people that way'. And he frequently does. Jack's the one who surprises me. Then again, I'm _still_ getting used to him being good, and it's been a few years now."

Alpha blinked. "Wait...There was a time when he wasn't?"

Robert was growing antsy, and he edged towards the door. "So yeah, I'm gonna bounce. Later!"

They didn't stop him.

"Yeah...His heart used to be frozen. Literally. It's kind of a long story."

Alpha saw that he wasn't in the mood to tell it at the moment, and made a mental note to ask him about it later. There were more immediate matters at hand. "Well, some might say 'all's well that ends well', but I had enough o' bein' manipulated from behind the scenes _long_ before I met any o' ye."

He nodded, his expression hard. "So, you're as mad about this as I am."

"Hmm..." Alpha frowned at the word 'mad' as a thought came to her. "We still don't know enough. I want to know _exactly_ what they had in mind, and whether or not there was more to it. You said Jack caught you by surprise, and that's got me hackles raised."

"So, whaddaya wanna do?"

"I'm not sure yet," Alpha walked past him and motioned for him to follow. They sat down at one of the tables, and she whispered as he leaned in to hear. "But it can't be somethin' aggressive or drastic."

" _Nooo,_ no way," He shook his head in agreement. "I think Robert's right, and they _did_ mean well. But I'm still ticked off about it."

"Aye," Alpha nodded back. "but this cannae go unanswered, either. Have ye ever heard the phrase, 'don't get mad; get even'?"

Tooth Fairy nodded, and he _did_ have some misgivings now. This wasn't really drastic enough for him to want revenge, but it seemed that she did. "Won't hurt 'em, right?"

"No," Alpha shook her head. "I say we put this in the back of our minds for now. An opportunity will present itself. And when it does, we'll give 'em a bit of a goose."

"Oh, you mean, like a prank?" Tooth Fairy brightened a bit. He had missed out on April Fool's Day with Alpha, not wanting to do anything that would have jolted her back, and this idea appealed to him.

"Exactly that," Alpha smiled. "And we all have good laugh and go home."

Tooth Fairy laughed. "Cupid will probably shoot me in the butt for this, but eh...It's worth it!"


	27. Chapter 27: Provocation

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Aiden overhears a private phone conversation and decides to follow (I.E., stalk) Tooth Fairy to see if the rumors are true. A casual date takes a turn for the alarming when Aiden senses Alpha's magic and jumps to a terrible conclusion. After a confrontation, Tooth Fairy realizes he's out of time and cuts the date short to run damage control back home._

 _So, it's been a while! I ran into a bit of writer's block with this, partly because I didn't get the job I was really hoping for, so I'm kind of bummed out about that. Still...I'm not down and out for long! More time to write, and it's back to the job hunt!_

 _I've tried to figure out what part of the world Tooth Fairy's hometown should be in, but I've decided not to pin it down to a specific location. I'll be honest; I haven't done a lot of traveling, and I don't want to commit to a location only to have someone be like, "Actually, people go there all the time". Plus, I like the idea of the location being a mystery and up to peoples' imaginations! All I can say is that the place experiences all four seasons, and it just might be adjacent to another familiar place. 'The Frontier Theatre' doesn't actually exist. Anyway, on to Chapter 27!_

"Chapter 27: Provocation"

April 8th, 1 PM

The Fairy market was a sight to see, and few people other than the Fairies themselves ever got to see it. On the Western edge of town was a small mountain range, and with Mother Nature's permission and guidance the Fairies had used magic to tunnel inside to create a warehouse that spanned for miles. Without magic, the structural integrity of the place would have been in serious doubt, and sinkholes would have been a very real concern, but the original architects had performed their craft well.

Even during the hottest months of summer, which were still in the future and not currently a concern, it was always cool inside. From the ceilings (which were really just a fancy word for 'cave roofs') hung copper lanterns that glowed with a bright yellow-green light. They were in the shape of fireflies, with the lamps being where the bugs would light up to signal for a mate, but of course they were never actually alive to begin with.

And yet, even in the Fairy town, time marched on and modern-day things made their way in. The whimsical effect was somewhat spoiled by the muzak that was piped through the place and the metal shelves and floor displays that would have been more at home at a Costco, or so the Tooth Fairy thought. And, like Costco, they seemed to have everything under the sun. All of their food, fresh, frozen and dried, was stored right there. Electrical appliances had been removed from their packaging, altered to run on magic instead of electricity, and returned to their boxes to be stored on the shelves.

And none of this would have been possible without the Tooth Fairy bloodline to collect the teeth of human children to be converted into all-purpose magic. Originally, the purpose of that magic was to keep the town a secret. Now, with the advent of modern-day conveniences that even nature-loving Fairies found attractive, it was discovered that the magic could be used in a variety of different ways.

While Tooth Fairy couldn't really guide the use of the magic himself, it wouldn't be possible without his contribution. He had often thought that this was the main reason why he was set up so comfortably, despite his small wings, although for the life of him he couldn't understand how that stigma had come about in the first place.

Small-winged Fairy men were nearly always life-long bachelors unless they happened to prefer their own gender, which Tooth Fairy himself did not, and they usually got stuck doing the jobs that no one else wanted. Tooth Fairy _still_ felt guilty that he enjoyed a life of relative privilege, but the stigma followed him as well. No Fairy woman had ever shown the slightest hint of romantic interest in him, and the loneliness had been soul-numbing.

At the moment, though, he was in good spirits and he wasn't thinking about any of this. He perused the wine aisle for something to bring on Saturday, sort of as a peace offering for Gemma. He hesitated, though, unsure if she even drank or not. He knew _Sarah_ didn't drink. Or, at least, she didn't drink _wine._ After an internal debate, he dug out his phone and decided to check with Alpha. He also had an idea for something they could do that day if she wasn't busy, so he thought he might kill two birds with one stone.

Alpha picked up on the third ring, and judging by the pitch of her voice she was in her Wereform. She also sounded out of breath. "Hey, Roy."

"Hey, Alpha. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"Och, no," she chuckled, "No, one of Harry's sons challenged me to an impromptu pull-up contest."

Robert's voice yelled out helpfully in the background, "She _lost!_ "

Alpha responded gamely to this, and shot back, "Only because _you_ wouldn't stop faffin' aboot on the sidelines and makin' stupid faces! D'ye know how hard it is to do a pull-up when ye cannae stop laughin', ye wee prat?"

" _Vone_ pull-up! _Two_ pull-ups! _Three_ pull-ups, ah-ah-ah!"

There was a round of raucous laughter, and Tooth Fairy joined in with a snicker. "Never a dull moment with you guys, is there?"

"Depends on who ye ask. What's up, luv?"

Tooth Fairy looked back at the shelf in front of him, and it occurred to him that he didn't even know what Gemma was making. Would wine even _go_ with it? "Um...well, I thought I'd bring a bottle of wine when we meet up with Sarah and Gemma, but I'm not sure if I should bring red or white."

"Och, ye don't have to do that."

"I know. I just thought it'd be a nice gesture." Tooth Fairy rubbed the back of his neck.

"It is," There was a smile in her voice. "Well, Gemma's making a venison roast with potatoes and carrots, so if you really want to bring something I'd probably go with red. But I'm no wine expert, so..."

"No, you're right." Tooth Fairy grabbed a bottle of merlot, then frowned. "Does she have a corkscrew?"

"I'm not sure...I could ask."

Tooth Fairy made his way to the corkscrews and put one in his shopping basket. "Nah, I got it. If she doesn't have one, I'll bring one. And if she does, I'll just hold on to it. Never know when you might need one."

"You're really worried about makin' a good impression, aren't ye?"

"Wouldn't _you_ be?"

"Aye," Alpha sounded like she was smiling again. "I don't think you'll have a problem, though. It just takes her some time to warm up to people. And how could she _not_ like a sweetheart like you?"

Tooth Fairy felt his face heating up, and he turned towards the shelves as another customer walked by, hoping to hide his blush from view. "Heh...To be fair, you're kinda biased."

"Maybe a little," Alpha admitted. "Anyway, Sarah's looking forward to trouncin' ye at gin rummy."

Tooth Fairy grinned. "I dunno, I trounced _you_ pretty good that one day. Unless you were just letting me win because of the flux."

"No, ye beat me fair and square."

He moved aside to let someone take a bottle from the shelf he was standing in front of, mouthed a quick 'sorry', and cleared his throat. "So, to change the subject, I was wondering if you wanted to go see a movie today at 'The Frontier Theatre' in Denver. It's a real neat old building, sort of a niche place that shows a lot of old movies."

"Oh, what did ye want to see?"

"I don't really care. I've seen 'em all already. Got most of 'em at my house."

"Bit of a movie buff, are ye?" Alpha teased.

"A 'wee bit'," He teased back. They laughed softly, and he took a slip of paper out of his pocket. "Do you like Westerns?"

Alpha didn't feel any kind of way about Westerns, but she was open to the idea if he had his heart set on that. "I've seen 'Blazing Saddles', does that count?"

He pressed his lips together in an effort to hold in a laugh, then replied, "Sorta. Kinda. Not really." He chuckled, but noted her lack of enthusiasm at the suggestion, and moved on. "Oh, they're also showing 'The Blob'. The 1958 version. Have you seen that?"

"No, but I've heard of it."

"Cool, you wanna go see it?"

"Aye, what time?"

"Uhh..." Tooth Fairy double checked the movie times he'd written down earlier. "There's a three o'clock showing today, or we could catch a matinee tomorrow, if it's too short notice."

"Three o'clock, sounds good!" Alpha agreed.

"Great! See you in a bit."

"Love ye."

"Love ya, too."

Tooth Fairy hung up and moved on, completely unaware of the fact that Aiden, who was in the next aisle over, had overheard him talking and paused to listen.

 _Love ya, too._

Aiden's face was a mask of incredulous disgust. The Tooth Fairy, the one who played such a pivotal role in maintaining the secrecy of their town, simply could _not_ be in love with a human! It was bad enough that someone who wasn't a 'real' Fairy should be in love at all, but the rumor was that he had been spotted with a human in early January. Were the rumors true after all?

This was alarming from a practicality standpoint alone, because humans and Fairies had very different lifespans. Tooth Fairy would undoubtedly outlive her, even if he wasn't functionally immortal due to being on the Council of Legendary Figures. Aiden didn't particularly care about _that,_ but there was still the risk of exposure to consider if (when) she found out what he was. Perhaps she already knew!

More to the point, though, Aiden saw the opportunity to get the man he'd always hated into trouble, and he pondered the matter for a moment.

He didn't have enough information to make a solid case. What he needed was proof.

 _Maybe it's time to get a look at this 'Alpha'. 'The Frontier Theater' in Denver, hm? At three o'clock? I think I can clear my social calendar..._

* * *

Tooth Fairy and Alpha arrived at 'The Frontier' within minutes of each other, and he smiled. "I see you found the place."

"Aye, it was easy." She kissed him, and they headed inside where he paid for their tickets, but she tried to decline when he offered to get her some popcorn.

"It's all part of the movie experience," Tooth Fairy grinned. " _I'm_ getting one."

Alpha still felt funny about this, but she remembered that he'd told her it made him happy to treat her every now and then, and she _did_ like popcorn. "All right, then. Thanks."

"Yup."

While they waited for the line to move, Alpha felt a slight tingling sensation in the back of her mind, and she recognized it by now. She sensed Fairy magic nearby, and it didn't belong to her boyfriend. He _had_ told her that his people frequently walked among the humans, and she discreetly looked to see if she could spot him or her.

Tooth Fairy could sense it too, but at that distance he couldn't make out who it was. He noticed Alpha's reaction, and he wasn't surprised that she could sense it as well.

Then Alpha spotted him. A red-haired Fairy male, wings hidden by a glamour, wearing 'civilian' clothes and standing near a wall. And he was _glaring_ at them. Alpha let her gaze pass over him as if she were simply scanning the room before whispering in Tooth Fairy's ear. "I think we have company...and he doesnae look amused."

Tooth Fairy glanced over, trying not to be too obvious about it, then his face fell and he looked forward once more. "Oh, not _him..._ " He grumbled.

"Someone you know, I take it?"

"Yeah..." Tooth Fairy lowered his voice. "Don't make eye contact. Maybe he won't come over."

"Who is he?" She whispered back.

"Someone I grew up with."

The note of finality in his voice wasn't abrupt or sharp, but it was obvious to Alpha that he didn't want to discuss the man. She nodded and let the subject drop. After a few minutes, just before they reached the front of the line, they both sensed Aiden's retreat and Tooth Fairy heaved an audible sigh.

Alpha took his arm. "Don't let'm get to ye, luv."

"I'm not," He smiled back, and they got their popcorn and drinks before heading in to choose their seats. He cleared his throat and whispered, "You think we can sit in the back? I won't be able to sit all the way back or slouch down in those seats, and I don't wanna block anybody's view."

Alpha knew the unspoken reason; his _wings._ She agreed, but she couldn't resist teasing him a little. "All right, but don't get fresh."

He gaped at her before realizing what she was up to, then playfully narrowed his eyes. "Ohhh, I see how it is. Well, I promise _nothing._ "

"Gross," Someone muttered behind them, and Alpha turned to stare him down. The teenager blushed, apparently not expecting to be overheard, and he hastily moved off to find a seat.

In spite of his little rejoinder, Tooth Fairy was the perfect gentleman and kept his hands to himself. Alpha thought the movie was very good, for what it was. The special effects weren't much to see by 2010 standards, but for the time the movie came out they were fairly impressive. The only thing that kept her from viewing it as a true 'horror' film was an amusing memory.

"So, whaddaya think of it?" Tooth Fairy whispered during the projection room scene.

Alpha held back a snicker and whispered back, "Pretty good! Actually, it reminds me of something similar that happened when Pearl was younger and one of her 'experiments' went awry."

"You're not gonna tell me you guys have a blob monster down there, are ya?" He smirked.

"Not as such, but this was somethin' different. She was tryin' to make bubblegum that never lost its flavor, and she goofed. Took us three days to clean it all up, and the place smelled like bubblegum for a week!" She smirked back, then winced at the onscreen carnage. "Ooh..."

Tooth Fairy snickered, and someone who hadn't bothered to take off their hat turned around and shushed them. They complied, but rolled their eyes as soon as the man turned back around.

A small child ran up and down the aisle, not being monitored by his parents (Alpha wondered why a kid so young was even _there_ ), and at one point he purposely knocked Alpha's popcorn out of her hand. Tooth Fairy indignantly began to speak up, but Alpha put a hand on his arm and shook her head. "Not worth it, luv...It's just popcorn."

Tooth Fairy wordlessly offered her his, still frowning at the retreating kid, and she accepted a few kernels. Neither of them wanted to draw any unwanted attention, and he remembered the father from the bowling alley. " _Someone's_ probably on the Naughty List this year. I'm ageing myself, but I remember when hu...parents actually _expected_ their kids to behave."

"Aye...Times change."

Ten minutes later, someone near the front of the theater yelled, " _Do_ something about your _kid!_ " He got shushed for it, along with a loud 'shut up' from someone, possibly the kid's father.

Alpha gave Tooth Fairy a significant look. "See? Pointless."

Tooth Fairy gave a resigned nod. He didn't blame the kid, who was five years old at the very most, but the parents on the other hand? He had to smile, though, when Alpha linked her fingers through his, and they did their best to ignore the noise.

Near the end of the movie, the kid had settled down for the most part, and Alpha gave Tooth Fairy a peck on the cheek when the credits began to roll. "This was a nice surprise. I quite enjoyed it."

"Hehehe...Not the most romantic movie out there, but I always liked it."

Alpha used the side of her foot to push her spilled popcorn back into the bag and rolled the top closed, and she pitched it in the trash on their way out. "Ye said it was the 1958 version. Are there others?"

"Yeah, there's a sequel that came out in 1978, and a remake from 1988. They're...well, they're all right." Tooth Fairy frowned a little, and Alpha thought he was chewing on something at first. Then he cleared his throat and jerked a thumb at the men's room. "Sorry, there's popcorn in my teeth. Wouldja excuse me for a minute?"

"Aye, I'll be outside. Need a bit of air," She replied, and she wasn't lying. The lobby was crowded with people who were standing around and chatting, admiring the various movie memorabilia on the walls and in glass cases, or buying souvenirs at the counter. Being surrounded by this many humans made her nervous, and it showed.

He paused, looking at her in concern. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, it's just a bit crowded. You go floss, I'll be outside." She gave a tight smile.

"Okay," Tooth Fairy nodded, mentally altering his plans. He had also meant to brush, but he didn't want to leave her alone for too long if she was feeling anxious. Flossing would have to do. He ducked into the men's room, and she headed outside.

Alpha stood outside and leaned against the brick wall, took a few deep breaths, and felt her anxiety begin to ebb. But it surged once more as she sensed Fairy magic off to her left, and she knew that it wasn't Tooth Fairy; he wouldn't pull this kind of prank on her when he knew she was feeling a bit 'off'. She looked over, and sure enough, the same Fairy stranger from before stood near the entrance of an alley.

 _What the blue blazes does he want?_

He waved her over, and his lips moved as if he were speaking, but she shook her head and pointed to her ear to indicate that she couldn't hear him before tucking her hands into her pockets. She felt her cell phone, and considered calling or texting Tooth Fairy.

He beckoned again, and she shook her head again. No _way_ was she going over there!

Then _he_ approached _her._

Alpha took her hands out of her pockets and turned to face him, widening her stance just a little. She would defend herself if need be, but she didn't want to have to do this with so many people around. It was too easy for instinct to take over, and for her to get carried away. But it looked like he might not give her a choice.

The Fairy gave a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Hi. I'm Aiden. Don't you know it's rude to ignore people when they're speaking to you?"

Alpha hadn't been sure about this guy, even in the face of Tooth Fairy's obvious dislike, but now she knew she had him pegged. This 'Aiden' fellow was a weasel, and a potentially dangerous one at that. "I didn't ignore you. I shook my head. Means _no._ Only an idiot would follow a strange man into an alley."

His smile turned hard, somehow. "Do you know what I am?"

"Yes."

Now the smile was gone. "Because _he_ told you about us."

Alpha's expression grew icy. " _'He'_ has a name."

"Answer my question, human."

 _'Human'...Of course he doesn't know._ Alpha smirked. "That was a statement, not a question."

Aiden's pale face darkened to match his freckles. Seeing that no one was in immediate earshot, and planning to retreat if they were interrupted, he stepped closer so that he was in her personal bubble. She didn't even flinch, and this displeased him. "Fine, then _here's_ a question." He seized her by the chin, and he wasn't gentle about it. " _Whose wings did you steal, bitch?_ "

Alpha's reaction was immediate. She grabbed his hand, twisted around so that she held his arm behind his back, and reversed their positions, pinning him against the wall. She could feel his invisible wings trying to flap, and she was careful not to injure them. "Who are _you_ calling a bitch?"

Aiden had no time to react, and before he knew it he was in a position where he could not fight back. He panicked and began to struggle, blood dripping from his nose from where he had bashed his face against the bricks, running in rivulets down his chin. " _No!_ "

He shrieked and struggled, but she had him in an arm lock, and this was the position they were in when Tooth Fairy found them.

"What happened?! Alpha, did he hurt you?"

"Think ye should be askin' _him_ that, luv." Alpha quipped before explaining, "There's been a bit of a misunderstanding, and he grabbed me before I could explain."

" _No!_ " Aiden tried to twist away, but she was stronger than she looked.

Alpha looked back at Aiden and said matter-of-factly, "I don't _like_ to be grabbed, and you would do well to remember that. And stop yer strugglin', will ye? You'll draw attention."

Tooth Fairy saw that at least fifteen humans had stopped to stare, and two of them were on their cell phones, probably calling the cops. "Too late...Let him go, Alpha. We don't want to end up on the six o'clock news."

"Not my wings... _Please!_ " Aiden pleaded tearfully.

"I don't _want_ yer bloody wings," Alpha sneered before letting him out of the arm lock, but she blocked him from escaping and held out her handkerchief. "Speaking of 'bloody', clean yerself up. You're in a right state."

Aiden eyed her mistrustfully, but accepted the handkerchief. His relief at being allowed to keep his life had rendered him docile, at least for the moment, and he held the cloth to his nose as he stared between Alpha and Tooth Fairy.

Tooth Fairy was mildly shocked at his girlfriend's attitude change...and rather enjoying it, due to who it was directed at. He was reminded once again that she was not someone to be trifled with. He stuffed his hands into his pockets to hide the glow and blocked Aiden's other avenue of escape. In order to get away, Aiden would have to fly, and he didn't dare. "Why is her chin bruised, Aiden?"

"Who cares about her chin? She broke my _nose!_ " Aiden was surely angry, but physical pain overshadowed his anger, so his own hands weren't glowing at all.

"That wasn't my intention, but accidents happen." Alpha said coldly, leaning in to take a look, and she forced his hand down for a second. "Well, I'm sure it hurts like hell, but it isn't broken."

Aiden pinched his nostrils shut to stop the flow, glaring at Tooth Fairy. " _Why_ would you associate with a wing thief?"

Tooth Fairy's face turned red with anger. "She's _not_ a wing thief, Aiden. She's _far_ from being a wing thief. You don't know anything _about_ her!"

"I know what I sensed!" Aiden hissed.

"You know _nothing!_ " Tooth Fairy barked back.

"Oi! Calm down, both o' ye. Aiden, is it?"

Tooth Fairy backed off, but if anything he looked even angrier. The more he thought about someone putting their hands on her without her permission, the more he wanted to play 'dentist' with Aiden. He reined in his anger and nodded to indicate that he would behave. He wasn't a violent man. He would _not_ let Aiden provoke him. Especially since he could sort of see Aiden's point. If he didn't know the truth himself, he would have been horrified by what he sensed from her.

Aiden nodded, still breathing hard.

Alpha nodded back, still showing no friendliness at all, but softening somewhat. "I _do_ apologize about your nose. You put me on the defensive just now, but I get it."

Aiden said nothing.

Alpha lowered her voice to almost a whisper. "I know what it means...Taking a Fairy's wings. But I _haven't._ It's a long story, and this isn't the place to tell it, but I can explain."

"I don't believe you," Aiden shot back, "And I'm not going _anywhere_ with you."

Tooth Fairy sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. He didn't want to discuss such a personal matter with this twerp. "You have no idea how lucky you are that she's _not_ the type to steal a Fairy's wings, Aiden...because you pretty much just assaulted the newest member of the Council."

 _This_ caught Aiden off guard even more than her turning the tables on him had done, and he blinked. "...Isn't he a Werewolf?"

Alpha hid her amusement well. "Why would you assume I was a 'he'?"

Aiden grew white as a sheet.

Tooth Fairy nodded. "The magic she received from Mother Nature was influenced by Fairy magic. That's why it feels the way it does."

"She'd still have to possess a Fairy's wings for that to happen. Or were you too stupid to remember that when she gave you the time of day?" Aiden bared his teeth.

The sight of Aiden's bloody teeth turned Tooth Fairy's stomach, but not as much as the memory of whose wings that Alpha had briefly possessed. "She did...but she didn't _steal_ them."

Alpha cocked her head and listened before looking off to her left. "People coming..."

"Good. _Get out of my way._ " Aiden pushed past them, and they let him go.

They expected him to rat them out to the two approaching cops, but apparently secrecy was more important to him than revenge. They watched as Aiden casually rattled off an excuse with the aplomb of an accomplished liar before being allowed to leave, and the policemen never even approached them.

Tooth Fairy knew where he was going, and he sighed. He turned to his girlfriend and caressed the bruise with a fingertip. " _Are_ you okay, Alpha?"

Alpha nodded, feeling terrible about the whole situation. "Aye, I'm fine. I'm sorry about this...I think I might have overreacted a bit."

Tooth Fairy _did_ wonder if she might have some form of PTSD, but he didn't say so. In fact, he wouldn't have been surprised if he had it himself after everything that had happened. "Well, how _are_ you supposed to react when a stranger grabs you by the face hard enough to leave _finger marks?_ "

"It'll fade in a day or two, luv," Alpha hugged him, both giving and taking comfort as he hugged back.

"Well...I was hoping to take you out to dinner afterwards, but I better go take care of something." He sighed.

"You're not goin' tae fight wi' him, are ye?"

"No, but I wouldn't mind giving him a good swat!" Tooth Fairy replied, still very angry, though not at her. His hands were stuffed deep in his pockets again. "Nah, I have to get to the mayor to tell our side of things. Wouldn't put it past the little jerk to try and get me in trouble. Technically, we _did_ break the rules when you were at my place. And the mayor's kind of his uncle, so there's that..."

"Ohhh, no..." Alpha facepalmed.

"Relax. For the most part, Mayor Kendrick's a reasonable guy..." Tooth Fairy tried for reassurance, but he couldn't hide his own worry.

"'For the most part'?" Alpha raised an eyebrow.

"Long story short, he raised Aiden, overcompensated for his lack of parents, and now Aiden's an overgrown spoiled brat. And the mayor knows it. But look, I gotta go. It'll be okay, I promise." Tooth Fairy kissed her, and she returned it. "You're not human, and you're on the Council, so I'm sure he'll listen."

"I gave his nephew a _bloody nose,_ Roy..."

"After he gave _you_ a bruise. Alpha, it'll be _fine._ " He briefly hugged her again, then held her shoulders. "But I _really_ better go."

She nodded, exchanged another kiss, and watched him leave. "Godspeed, Roy..."


	28. Chapter 28: An Unpleasant Dinner

"A Strange Bond"

 _Notes:_ _So, just how 'reasonable' is Mayor Kendrick? Tooth Fairy does what he should have done months ago and goes to admit that Alpha has been in their town before. What happens while he's there is not what he expected. Alpha clues in on a few things that sailed over Tooth Fairy's head, and she realizes that this may be her first true test as a community leader; representing herself and her people._

 _Sorry for the wait. It's been a rough couple weeks. Our dog has been sick for quite some time, but recently her health really went downhill, and we finally had to say goodbye to her on August 3rd. It wasn't unexpected, but we had her for twelve years, so it still hit pretty hard. I'm not fishing for sympathy, just letting you guys know the reason for the latest delay. Writing is something I enjoy doing, and my brain seems to be working again, so here we go!_

"Chapter 28: An Unpleasant Dinner"

In spite of his efforts to reassure Alpha that everything would be fine, Tooth Fairy's heart was in his throat as he flew towards the clearing where his town's meetings usually took place, weather permitting. If the weather was poor, then the Town Council met in one of their homes; they had this on a rotating schedule, so that they always knew where to go. When the weather was fair, as it was that day, Mayor Kendrick usually wasn't hard to find.

For a man who was so punctual and by-the-book when it came to his job, Tooth Fairy could sometimes procrastinate about other things.

Specific exercises were something he liked to avoid; he got a pretty good workout from flying around the world every night, but he didn't walk quite as much as he probably should, and he hated doing push-ups and sit-ups. And sure, okay, maybe he liked to indulge in some pizza or a cheeseburger from time to time. Who didn't? But he thought that, overall, he was doing well enough in that respect.

Another thing he tended to avoid was doing things that might make him look 'stupid' to the opposite sex, hence his early reluctance to confess his feelings to Alpha. Still, given everything they'd learned about each other up until that point, and the time they'd spent in each other's company, it really hadn't taken much of a nudge to get him to speak up. That, at least, had resulted in a favorable outcome.

Not confessing to the mayor that he had brought an outsider into their town (although, technically, someone _else_ had brought her the first time, and she had been _his_ lift home when he was ill) would definitely be frowned upon. This still could have gone relatively well if Aiden hadn't forced Alpha to defend herself. _Now,_ though? Alpha _had_ once told him not to make promises he couldn't keep...

 _No...I can still fix this._

As Tooth Fairy descended into the clearing, he wasn't at all surprised to see Aiden there, speaking to an older Fairy male.

Mayor Kendrick was short. At 5'4'', gray-haired and balding, he didn't exactly cut an impressive figure. But these things hardly mattered when one possessed magic and was considered to be the mouthpiece of Oberon himself (not that anyone in Tooth Fairy's generation had ever actually _seen_ the royal pair). His bushy sideburns gave him an old-fashioned, distinguished look, but there was something of the stoat in him as well; he and Aiden had the same pointy nose. The old man automatically looked up when he heard wings, and his expression was unreadable.

 _This man should play poker..._

Aiden immediately clammed up, his eyes flinty and his mouth a sharp line as if he'd heard something he didn't particularly like.

Tooth Fairy landed softly and gave the mayor a respectful nod. "Mayor Kendrick. Aiden."

"Tooth Fairy," Kendrick gravely returned the nod. "My nephew came to me with some serious accusations against you and one other. His injury appears to back up his claim. What do you have to say for yourself?"

 _Wow. Haven't heard that one since I was fifty._ Tooth Fairy saw Aiden's face regain some of its prior smugness, and he felt himself growing angry again. He hid his glowing hands in his pockets.

Aiden was doing no such thing, and instead his blue-glowing hands were clenched into fists at his sides.

"What are the accusations?"

Aiden blinked. "Are you _stupid?_ "

Kendrick frowned. "Aiden."

" _They_ did this to me!" Aiden pointed an accusing finger at Tooth Fairy.

"You've already told your side of the story, and now it is his turn." Kendrick clasped his hands behind his back, and diffused the situation. "You have delayed my supper over some silly fistfight, and this discussion would be over a lot more quickly if you were at home with an ice pack. Perhaps Shelby will have some of those little lemon cakes you're so partial to."

Shelby was Aiden's housekeeper, and cooking wasn't in her job description, but Aiden was hopeless in the kitchen. Tooth Fairy didn't think of it unless her name came up, but he had a pretty good idea why she often fixed Aiden his favorite treats without being asked. Of the three housekeepers he'd had, she had lasted the longest. _He'll break her heart like he broke theirs...Then again, the rumor is that he dumped the last one for her, and they say she knew about them. Why am I even thinking about this? It's none of my business..._

Aiden began to curl his lip, but caught himself in time. He decided not to push it, and flew away without another word.

 _His uncle must finally be getting tired of his attitude._ Tooth Fairy hid a smirk under the guise of scratching his nose.

Mayor Kendrick sighed. "Well, I'm afraid you're in a bit of hot water, son."

Tooth Fairy immediately lost his smirk. "I can explain."

"Yes, I'm sure you can. But not out here. Come, we'll have supper at my house and sort out this unpleasant little mess. You like prime rib, don't you?" He fluttered the blue wings that so resembled Aiden's, and Tooth Fairy followed him.

"Sure." Tooth Fairy really preferred a nice juicy T-bone, cooked rare, but food was the last thing on his mind.

Mayor Kendrick's home was a grand tree house that put Tooth Fairy's relatively tiny home to shame. It was an enormous white oak, and it seemed even larger on the inside than it did on the outside. When 'Doctor Who' first aired, Tooth Fairy had had a good chuckle at The TARDIS and wondered if a Fairy might have had something to do with that idea. Given his peoples' habit of gleefully hiding in plain sight, he wouldn't have been a bit surprised.

Tooth Fairy cleared his throat after being ushered in, and he felt as if he had just stepped into a bygone era. Kendrick and many of the older Fairies preferred not to keep up with the times, and aside from the up-to-date bathroom and kitchen there wasn't a single modern convenience to be seen. He commented on the first thing he noticed. "New carpeting, huh? It's nice."

"I'm so glad it meets with your approval." The mayor clasped his hands behind his back as he led the way to the dining room. "Custom made by our own craftsmen. I'll never understand why you choose to live in that little tree of yours when you could have so much more. You _could,_ you know. Without the Tooth Fairy, our town would be open to the human world."

Tooth Fairy folded his arms, hiding the fact that he was mildly offended. For a tree, his home was huge, and it was the house he'd grown up in. And the thought of going so far to take advantage of the perks of a job he'd _inherited,_ whether he wanted it or not, just didn't sit right with him. Especially not when other Fairy men with smaller wings couldn't enjoy such a life either. He was happy enough with his 'man cave', with its comfy new couch and entertainment center. "What do I need with all that? I'm just _one guy._ "

"Well, so am I. If it's available to you, why not take it?"

"I...just don't want it." Tooth Fairy shrugged.

Two ladies were waiting near the kitchen door when they entered the dining room, one a few centuries older than the other. Mayor Kendrick was a widower who had never remarried or fathered any children, so these couldn't have been daughters of his. The older one had black hair, pale skin, and green wings. The younger one was small, blonde, and her wings were a brilliant fuchsia. The older one turned to the younger, clearly annoyed by some slight that had escaped Tooth Fairy's notice. "Well? Fetch another place setting."

Tooth Fairy was growing more uncomfortable by the second. He didn't like to be a bother, and the poor girl hadn't done anything to deserve such treatment; he was an unexpected guest, and, truth be told, he wasn't hungry anyway. The dark-haired one's tone had been more of a vicious hiss than a curt order, and this stirred up his protective side. The blonde couldn't have been more than eighty years old! A Fairy 'teenager'. Just a kid, really.

Mayor Kendrick, who was a little hard of hearing and hadn't noticed the exchange, addressed the woman who had been so snappish. "We'd like some wine, Marcy."

"Uh, none for me, thanks," Tooth Fairy interjected. "I'm flying tonight."

"Wine for one," Marcy smirked at Tooth Fairy as she eyed his wings, then retreated into the kitchen. The timid girl, who was on her way out with Tooth Fairy's napkin and silverware, almost bumped into her. The glare Marcy gave her was poisonous and full of unpleasant promise, but she said nothing as she went to get the wine. Mayor Kendrick excused himself to look for his pipe, leaving Tooth Fairy alone in the room with the younger girl.

Tooth Fairy could see tears brimming in the girl's sky-blue eyes as she set the napkin and utensils in front of him with shaking hands, and he thought he heard a soft sniffle. He never _could_ bear the sight of a crying girl. _I don't think I like Marcy very much. This poor kid!_ "Thank you. This your first day on the job?"

"No, sir. My third."

"Uh-huh. What's your name, Miss?"

"Julia..."

He smiled. "Well, Julia, here's some advice. You listening?"

She nodded, clearly nervous and expecting correction.

Tooth Fairy looked around to make sure no one was coming, and lowered his voice. "We were _all_ new at our jobs once. And when you're new, you're gonna make mistakes. People won't always be nice to you when that happens, but that's _their_ problem. You don't have to let it be yours. Just try to tune them out, and keep at it. You're gonna be just fine."

A grateful smile lit up her face, and she wiped hastily at her eyes. "Thank you, sir."

"You can just call me 'Tooth Fairy'. Everyone here does." He wanted to tell her to use the name he preferred, but the day was already complicated enough without confusing a brow-beaten young serving girl, and he doubted he would see her again after this evening. Then he heard footsteps, and he whispered, "Ixnay, here comes Marcy."

Julia quickly backed off and went to get Tooth Fairy a glass of water since he had refused the wine, and she moved aside to let Marcy pass. She gasped when the older woman tripped on the carpet and lost her grip on the wine bottle, then disappeared into the kitchen before she could receive another scolding.

Tooth Fairy lunged and caught the bottle.

Marcy caught herself on the edge of the table, eyes wide as she stared at the bottle. Then her face turned beet red as she looked up at Tooth Fairy.

"You all right?" He asked mildly.

"Y-yes, sir," Marcy quickly straightened, reaching for the wine. "Forgive me."

Tooth Fairy gave back the bottle with a little smirk. "We all make mistakes. That's a good thing to remember."

Her embarrassed expression quickly iced over into one of cold, subdued anger; she knew a jab when she heard one. "Indeed it is."

Tooth Fairy tapped his thumb on the tabletop as he waited for the mayor to return, and watched as Marcy uncorked the bottle and poured. "I suppose I should have tried to catch _you_ instead. That would've been the 'decent' thing to do. But then, the bottle might have broken, and the new carpet would've been ruined."

"Yes. Thank you."

 _Her mouth says_ _ **'thank'**_ _you, but her eyes say_ _ **'screw'**_ _you._ He grinned. "Tell me...How much trouble would you be in if that happened?"

Marcy didn't answer, but she paled.

"I'll just keep what _almost_ happened to myself. Wouldn't want anyone getting into hot water over an honest accident."

Marcy tightened her red lips before putting on a smile that showed more teeth than was strictly necessary. "Are you sure you don't want some wine, sir? I doubt _one_ cup will impair a man of your...bulk." She quirked an eyebrow and looked pointedly at his belly.

 _And the claws come out._

"No thanks," Tooth Fairy bared his own teeth and pointed to them before saying in a loud whisper, "Lipstick on your teeth."

Marcy's vicious smile turned into an even more vicious sneer. "You're _rude._ "

"Look in the mirror, if you don't believe me." Tooth Fairy heard the mayor's footsteps nearing the dining room, and they ended their conversation by some mutual, unspoken agreement.

"Marcy, I seem to have misplaced my pipe. Keep a sharp eye out for it, will you?" Mayor Kendrick sat down at the head of the table.

"Yes, sir." Marcy nodded, and went into the kitchen.

Tooth Fairy didn't miss the glare she gave him before she disappeared, and there was an awkward (at least, for Tooth Fairy) silence as the mayor sipped from his silver wine goblet.

 _Silver...Come to think of it, there's a lot of things in this room that are made of silver. Alpha would be as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs..._

The two women brought out their plates, and Julia quickened her stride so that she could set down the plate she carried first...in front of Tooth Fairy.

Marcy faltered briefly, her eyes flicking towards Mayor Kendrick with something that might have been mortification.

Julia gave Tooth Fairy his glass of water and stared Marcy down, and the older woman set her plate down in front of the mayor without a word.

When the two men were alone, Mayor Kendrick got to work on his meal and began to speak. "Before we discuss the fact that you brought an outsider into our midst, I would like to hear your take on what happened today."

"Well...Alpha and I were at the movies," Tooth Fairy dutifully began to eat as well, but he couldn't really enjoy it. This was an interrogation that just happened to come with a fancy meal, and he knew it. "Afterwards, I went to floss."

"Floss?"

"We had popcorn."

"Ah."

Tooth Fairy speared a green bean with his fork, then remembered his manners and cut it into bite-sized pieces. "When I went outside, Alpha had a bruise on her chin and Aiden had a bloody nose."

Mayor Kendrick frowned and put down his knife and fork. "A bruise on her chin? How did she come to acquire it?"

"Yeah," Tooth Fairy nodded, "Aiden grabbed her. She was only defending herself. She didn't actually mean to give him a bloody nose-"

"Did you see it happen?" The Mayor narrowed his eyes.

Tooth Fairy hesitated, then replied, "No. But I trust Alpha. And when I came out, she was just restraining him, not attacking him. She even apologized, and gave him her hankie. It was all just a big misunderstanding."

"A 'misunderstanding'..." There was a hardness in the mayor's voice that Tooth Fairy wasn't used to hearing from the man. "What was there to misunderstand? Why would my nephew just grab a woman he doesn't know from Eve? It doesn't match up with his story of an unprovoked attack."

Tooth Fairy put a forkful of baked potato into his mouth. Normally, he would have enjoyed it. It was done perfectly, with lots of butter and sour cream, but knowing that he would have to tell the mayor what had happened to his sister left him with the taste of ashes. He pushed away his plate and put down his knife and fork. "He sensed what he thought was Fairy magic coming from her, and assumed that she..."

Mayor Kendrick blanched and leaned back from his plate. "A _wing thief?_ "

"No..." Tooth Fairy shook his head, and his eyes began to sting. "Those wings were Brinna's, and they were stolen by someone else. It wasn't her..."

There was a long silence, and finally the mayor shook his head in sympathy. "I'm deeply sorry for your loss, Tooth Fairy. Truly, I am. I remember her; she was a sweet girl. But how did this come about?"

Tooth Fairy got up from his chair and ambled over to a wall to look at one of the many paintings. How to sum things up, and keep from losing it?

 _I put all those feelings in a box centuries ago. I can do it now._

"What do you know about how Alpha became a member of the Council?" He asked.

"Very little," Mayor Kendrick replied, "Almost nothing. Enlighten me."

Tooth Fairy turned and sat back down again. "The Hollow used to be run by a pair of Elves. A brother and sister who called themselves 'The Founders'. They applied for work at the North Pole, and didn't make the cut. And they went about as bad as anyone can go. They took my sister's wings, and used her magic to basically enslave the people they brought to The Hollow. Alpha was one of them."

"And she stole from them what they stole from your sister?"

"No..." Tooth Fairy sipped his water. "They kidnapped Santa's son last November, and when Alpha found out, she couldn't let that stand. So...me, Alpha, Santa, Sandman, Jack Frost, and Bernard teamed up with a few others from The Hollow to get him back."

The mayor nodded, dipping a morsel of prime rib into the au jus and chewing thoughtfully. He swallowed, then asked, "But how do Brinna's wings come into it?"

Tooth Fairy flinched. It wasn't as raw as it had been before, but hearing it mentioned so casually hurt his heart. He buried it. "There was a fight. They used Changelings, and...It wasn't hard to figure out where they got their Fairy magic from. After it was all over...Alpha helped me look for her wings. And we found them."

He flashed back to how he had broken down when it really hit him that his sister was dead, and he forced the thought from his mind. Remembering brought some of those feelings back, and he didn't want to break down in a situation like _this._ It wouldn't be appropriate, and his trust in the mayor was tenuous at the moment.

"And she took them? Forgive me, but I have to ask."

 _No, you don't..._

Out loud, Tooth Fairy answered his question. "It's complicated. The Hollow is an underground cavern that's been sealed off from the outside world. Still not sure how they have air down there, but my guess is there's vents, like they'd have in a mine. The Founders...they used the magic to create Fairy Rings, and those are the only way up to the surface now. If I took Brinna's wings with me, they would've been trapped down there. So...I asked Alpha to...to take them, and..."

"What did she do with them?"

"They have a cemetery..." Tooth Fairy shook his head and waved a hand. "Look, I know for a fact that she...that she did as I asked. Brinna's magic _chose_ to stay with Alpha, until she was comfortable with using magic. Alpha has her _own_ magic. Mother Nature gave it to her when she joined the Legendary Council. Brinna's magic...well, it just..."

Mayor Kendrick could see that Tooth Fairy was struggling to continue and keep his composure at the same time, and he relented. "I understand. But how did you know that you could trust her with such a precious thing?"

Tooth Fairy didn't tell the mayor about how quickly they had become friends, or how he had felt drawn to her before he had even seen her in her human form. He didn't mention how thunderstruck he had been when she favored him with a 'human' smile, or how captivated he had been. He didn't tell the mayor about how she had held him while he cried, or how long it had been since someone had really held him _at all,_ barring the occasional brusque 'man hug' between himself and a few of his guy friends; those didn't really count as 'holding', in his opinion. None of this was the mayor's business. But he could admit _this_ much. "I saved her life, and she saved mine. My wings were being twisted off, and she knocked The Founders' heads together and pulled them off me. She never gave me a reason _not_ to trust her."

The mayor mulled this over, then sighed. "Yes, but even so...A person might save a life just to gain an ally."

"No, she's not like that." Tooth Fairy controlled his anger. "She proved to me that she was trustworthy, and those people didn't deserve to be trapped down there. And she delivered on her promise. I _know_ that, because Brinna's magic was purple, and so was Alpha's for a few months. Alpha's magic is _orange_ now. Brinna's magic isn't in her anymore. She's not a wing thief, and she never was."

Mayor Kendrick nodded, finally accepting Tooth Fairy's story. "Then she belongs on the Legendary Council. But this brings us to our next order of business."

 _Here we go..._

The mayor continued, "Outsiders aren't granted passage without permission from the Town Council, and you haven't even asked for it. Yet, she has been here at least once."

Tooth Fairy drank all of his water in one go, and he sort of wished he _had_ accepted the wine. "Well...it was kind of unavoidable, on our part. I wasn't doing so great, and The Council sent Alpha to check on me. She didn't know about the 'no outsiders' rule, and even if she did, Curtis-"

"Who's Curtis?"

He sighed at the interruption. He was ready for this meeting to be _done._ "Santa's number-two Elf. He dropped her off at my place without warning and left before she could object, and I had to give her a ride back."

Well...technically, he didn't _have_ to. He could have easily conjured up a Fairy Ring in his living room, and Alpha wouldn't have been spotted at all, but at the time he didn't think of it. And Alpha could have done it herself, but the way he'd been feeling at the time he probably would have burst into tears at the sight of one. Surely, Alpha understood this, and that was one of the many reasons he loved her.

Mayor Kendrick sipped his wine. "Hm. Mother Nature's will supersedes ours. There will be no punishment for that one incident. But were there any others?"

Tooth Fairy _knew_ he could lie and say that there weren't. No one had seen Alpha the day he was ill and she'd brought him back to his home. Still, there was a chance that he might have a slip of the tongue one day and be found out, and that wouldn't be good. He sighed, and reluctantly admitted, "Yeah. One other time, but there was a good reason for it."

"Everyone who breaks the law has a 'good reason' for it, Tooth Fairy. Don't think that your position excuses you from following the rules. I won't tolerate excuses, not if it means the safety of our town."

"But you just said Alpha belongs on the Legendary Council, and that means you _know_ she's not a threat!" Tooth Fairy finally let some of his anger show. "What difference does it-"

"The difference is, the rules are in place for a _reason,_ and we can't just pick and choose which ones to follow as we see fit!" Mayor Kendrick barked back, then reined in his temper. "Tell me your reasons for breaking the law a second time, and think carefully before you speak. How this ends for you depends entirely on what you say now."

Tooth Fairy took a deep breath. "I went to visit her place in early February. We were playing Scrabble, if you really want to know. My magic went into flux, and I got sick as a dog. I couldn't even stand without getting dizzy, so it wouldn't have been safe for me to use magic. So, she brought me back home. You can ask Mother Nature and Father Time, if you don't believe me. They dropped by that day, too."

Mayor Kendrick nodded thoughtfully, finished his wine, and poured himself another glass. He offered the bottle to Tooth Fairy, who shook his head. "I'll do that. But not because I don't believe you. I need to be sure."

 _If you're not sure, that means you don't believe me. I thought I knew you, Kendrick. I thought_ _ **you**_ _knew_ _ **me.**_

"But no disciplinary actions will be taken, I've decided on that. You were always a terrible liar, and I don't see a lie in your eyes now." Mayor Kendrick popped another piece of dripping beef into his mouth.

Tooth Fairy forced the words out. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Mayor Kendrick said when he had swallowed. "You've vouched for her character, but our Council will need to speak with her before we decide whether or not she will be allowed to enter freely. And if we find her lacking, if she's a threat to us, I will reconsider my decision not to bar you from living within the boundaries of the town."

This was, of course, the only punishment available to the mayor. Prison wasn't an option, because they needed the Tooth Fairy to do his job. When Mother Nature had granted his ancestor and her bloodline Legendary status, the king and queen lost the ability to dismiss one of them and appoint someone else to the task. He was needed, and he had no children. Nor would he. Even in exile, Tooth Fairy would still be able to do his job.

Tooth Fairy's expression didn't really change much. This wasn't the same threat it would have been several months ago. If things worked out with Alpha, she couldn't abandon The Hollow, so he would _have_ to move there if they were to stay together. Aside from the public shame, which seemed less and less like an issue the more he thought about it, it wouldn't really be punishment at all. "Alpha isn't a threat. She has no interest in causing trouble for you; she has her own town to run."

"So, she's the mayor of the place you call 'The Hollow'?" Kendrick asked.

"They don't _call_ her that, but...yeah, I guess so."

"And where _is_ this place?"

 _Right in our back yard, and we never even knew it._ "I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor, but it's not my place to tell you that."

The mayor nodded, accepting this. "Then, you will be our go-between. I'd like you to set up a meeting with her to come here and discuss the matter."

"I'm sorry, 'the matter'?" Tooth Fairy squinted.

"Yes. If she's willing to give myself and a few of my colleagues a tour of The Hollow, I will consider it a gesture of good faith. Bring her to me, and we will discuss it." Mayor Kendrick wiped his mouth, and placed his napkin on the table. As if on cue, the women emerged from the kitchen to clear their plates.

Tooth Fairy stared at Mayor Kendrick, and he couldn't explain the dull fear he now felt. This wasn't like the man he'd grown up knowing. Or _was_ it? Was this what he was like behind closed doors, when his will was crossed?

He wondered if he was being too sensitive about this. It was possible. He was comfortable talking to _Alpha_ about his sister, and even took comfort in it, but Mayor Kendrick was another matter. Maybe it wouldn't matter _who_ it was, if he was being put on the spot. It was a breach of privacy, however necessary it might have been, and he resented it.

He needed to talk to Alpha.

Julia looked concerned, both at Tooth Fairy's expression and his barely touched plate. "Was it all right?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, it was _very_ good. I just don't have much of an appetite tonight. Thank you, Julia." Tooth Fairy forced a smile.

Mayor Kendrick frowned at the girl. "Were you bothering my guest when I was out of the room?"

Tooth Fairy spoke up before she could stutter out an explanation. "No, I asked for her name so I'd know who to thank later." He looked at his watch. "And speaking of 'later', I have to go get ready for work. Those teeth won't collect themselves."

"Of course. You'll mention my request to her, won't you?" Mayor Kendrick got up to see him out.

"Yeah, I'll, uh...I'll let you know what she says, and I guess we'll go from there."

"Good!" Mayor Kendrick gave a jolly smile, which was more like the one Tooth Fairy was used to seeing, and stuck out his hand.

Tooth Fairy shook with him, and managed not to make a face at how greasy the man's palm felt. Whether it was oil from the meat or sweat, Tooth Fairy didn't know. The first thing he planned to do when he got to a sink was wash his hands!

* * *

Julia was scrubbing the pots and pans when Marcy came to join her, and the two women worked silently for a while, neither of them willing to be the one who spoke up first.

It was Marcy who finally broke the silence when her anger got the better of her. "What are you playing at?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know how _lucky_ you are to work in the mayor's house, you little halfwit? We do _not_ introduce ourselves to the guests. They don't _care_ who we are. We're there to serve them, and to take requests. That's it. Nothing else. Learn the rules and follow them. _That's_ your job."

 _You're wrong. He treated me like a person, which is more than I can say for you._ Julia pulled the plug, and the soapy water disappeared down the drain with a roaring gurgle as she turned to face Marcy. "I _saw_ you spit in his food, Marcy. I don't think that's what 'serve' actually means. He asked me for my name, so I told him. It would've been rude not to. He was actually _nice_ to me, but that wouldn't have mattered, because even if he turned out to be a real monster I never would've tampered with his meal. And I don't think Mayor Kendrick would appreciate-"

Marcy's hands flashed green, and she slapped her.

Julia's blue eyes widened and filled with tears. Then her hands lit up bright fuchsia and she slapped Marcy back, twice as hard. "Marcy...you will never hit me again. _Ever._ "

Marcy held her cheek, stunned that timid little Julia would _dare_ to hit back, and she fled the kitchen in tears.

Julia stared at her red palm, and gave her hand a little shake. "I can't believe I just did that..."

* * *

Alpha listened attentively as Tooth Fairy related the evening's events over some chamomile tea. He hadn't gone to work yet, but he still had a little bit of time before he would officially be running late. From the moment she opened her front door and was seized in a tight hug, she understood that he needed a loving ear. So, for a while, she just sat quietly and listened.

"She was _my_ sister. It was _private!_ He had _no_ business asking me about her!" Tooth Fairy jabbed his own chest with a finger on the word 'my', and his face burned with hurt and anger. He was almost _shaking,_ he was so angry.

Alpha didn't want to contradict him. This was still such a painful subject, and she suspected that it would be for a very long time. _She_ was angry as well, because his mayor had forced him to discuss something painful and personal that he wasn't ready to make public yet, and probably never would be. And yet, as a community leader, and as someone who understood what it meant to take a Fairy's wings, she could understand the mayor's need for clarification. She might have done the same thing in his place. But hopefully with a bit more tact! "I'm sorry, luv..."

He sighed and rubbed his face, then got up to pace. His tea was untouched and still steaming. "The whole thing was just so _bizarre._ He was acting totally different. It's like I didn't even _know_ the man."

"Mm...You were used to seeing _one_ of his 'faces', and he showed you another."

"Huh?" He turned to her, confused.

Alpha stood up and went over to him, but didn't touch him. He was too agitated, and she could tell that it would only annoy him. "Everyone we meet, we show a different face to, depending on the situation. Most of the time, that face is still 'us', but a different _facet_ of us, and..."

Tooth Fairy wondered what she _wasn't_ saying. "And?"

She sighed, and hoped he wouldn't get upset by what she said next. "He's responsible for the safety of your people."

"He didn't have to ask about _her._ "

"Yes..." Alpha nodded gently. "He _did._ "

He scoffed and turned away.

"Roy, please, _listen_ to me..." Alpha's voice was gentle, but firm. When he said nothing, but turned just enough to look at her over his shoulder, she continued, "It wouldn't have made a difference if it was your sister or another Fairy. _He had to ask._ He doesn't know me; he has _no_ reason to trust me. The story his nephew gave him painted me in a _very_ bad light, and he had to get to the bottom of it. He has people to protect. And I'm _sorry_ this happened. But the face he showed you before today wasn't the face of a man who was concerned for the safety of his community. You got his 'friendly' face before. Today, you got his 'business' face."

Tooth Fairy felt a stab of betrayal, but it faded almost as soon as it struck. Her people meant the world to her, and he knew that she would lay down her life in a heartbeat to protect the people she loved. And this included _him._ But to be forced to vomit out the story of what had happened, without being given time to prepare beforehand? He didn't know if he would ever be able to eat a prime rib dinner again. He shook his head, fighting back tears. "I _loved_ her, Alpha..."

Alpha stepped forward and took him in her arms. "I know you did, my love. Ye still do...and I'm _so_ sorry. It's just...I don't think he _meant_ to hurt ye. But I'm not sure how he could have avoided it, either..."

Tooth Fairy successfully kept the tears back, and hugged back tightly. Then he sighed and stepped back, ambling over to sit back down and have some of his tea. He had declined the offer of sugar, which hadn't surprised Alpha. It wasn't really his cup of tea, no pun intended, but it was all right. "He said he wants to set up a meeting with _you._ He was talking about visiting The Hollow himself..."

"Well, let's not put the cart before the horse," Alpha joined him and finished off her tea. "I have no objection to this meeting, but him coming here, it isn't just up to _me._ The City Council has to vote, and if their answer is no, then _my_ answer is no."

Tooth Fairy nodded, polishing off his tea and giving his head a rueful shake. "I hate politics..."

"Aye," Alpha nodded. "A necessary evil, I'm afraid. When does he want to have this meeting?"

"He didn't say...I'm his 'go-between'." Tooth Fairy made air quotes with one hand.

Alpha frowned. She didn't like that her grieving boyfriend had been put in the middle, and however well she could understand Mayor Kendrick's motives, she shared some of Tooth Fairy's anger. "Tell ye what...You and I will have our game night with Sarah and Gemma. We'll have a fun time, and forget this unpleasantness for a little while. The next City Council meeting is meant to happen the day after that, and I'll bring it up with them. I have a town to protect too, and we'll put it to a vote then. After that, I will have an answer to give him when we decide on a meeting date."

"I don't get the impression he wants to wait," Tooth Fairy said.

"He can wait anyway. It's _my_ move now. If I show up unprepared, that won't look good."

"I reiterate; I hate politics." He smirked and wrapped her in his arms. He was still angry about the whole situation, but once she'd put the mayor's line of questioning into perspective, he could at least _understand_ it.

"Aye, it's not my favorite." Alpha hugged back, then kissed him. "I know ye had a hard time today. We'll work this out. You dodged punishment, which is good. If he was completely unreasonable, he might have ignored the circumstances and focused entirely on the actions. You told me it would be all right, and it _will._ We'll see to it."

He nodded, hugged her again, then sighed when his phone's alarm went off. "Well...duty calls."

"Aye," Alpha cupped his cheek in her hand and kissed him gently on the lips. "Now, go. You have a job to do, and so do I."

"You?" He wasn't sure what she meant.

"Harry took over my last hunt, so I'm taking over his tonight." She explained.

"Oh," He frowned. "Well...I hate it, but I get it. Try not to run into any bears tonight, okay?" He kissed her again and turned to go.

She laughed and gently pushed him out the door. "Get out o' here."

His laughter echoed hers as she closed the door, and she went to change into ratty clothing for her hunt.


	29. Chapter 29: A Mental Health Day

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _April 9th is a 'bad day'. Tension plus flying make for back problems, and the previous day's events bring bad dreams, all of which set TF back a bit. Alpha intentionally breaks the rules this time, both to be there for him and, on some level, to thumb her nose at the man who had hurt him. She then takes him somewhere quiet, and they discuss a few things._

 _This chapter was a bit of a surprise for me, because I hadn't planned on writing it at all until later on. So, the original idea had to change a little bit, but I think it fits well here and sets up a bit of the groundwork for upcoming events. It took a little bit longer to finish than I thought it would. Family obligations are kicking my butt, lol. I also might have a job soon! Remember that job I was bummed out about not getting? Well, it turns out that they weren't hiring for that position at the time, but now they are! So, if I get it (still not guaranteed), I'll be working full time. And then THAT'S gonna kick my butt. But I'm determined to finish these two fics eventually, so there will still be updates. I'm thinking about changing the summary a bit, though. Thank you to everyone who drops by to read this, and I hope you enjoy the latest chapter!_

"Chapter 29: A Mental Health Day"

April 9th, Friday

Work had been hard. Six hours into his twelve hour shift, the tension Tooth Fairy had been carrying in his back and shoulders had finally caught up with him, and a slight wrong move in mid-air had caused his back to go into a spasm, forcing him to make an emergency landing in a tree. The pain was almost enough to bring tears to his eyes, and it reminded him of the pain he'd felt when Avery and Viola had tried to twist his wings off his back.

 _Is this what happened to Mom? Did_ _ **her**_ _back problems cause her to fall out of the sky? I know she was in a storm, but..._

And he forced all thoughts of his mother from his mind. Stress had caused him to be too tense, and these thoughts weren't helping. He tried to reach back to rub the spot that ached, but he couldn't reach it from above or from below, and he finally gave up with a growl of frustration.

Eventually, the pain abated somewhat and he was able to continue, but the next six hours were pure agony.

When he finally reached the Fairy town, he decided to walk to where he needed to go instead of flying there, and he made a clumsy landing to drop off his full pouch of teeth for processing. Then, while he trudged home in a haze of physical pain and brain fog, he sensed an approach from his right.

 _Ohhh, not now..._

Mayor Kendrick, who had just left his house to do whatever it was that two-faced old men did, had spotted him. Although, to be fair, Tooth Fairy took a dim view of him after the night before.

"Ah, good morning, Tooth Fairy. I would have expected you to be at home resting by now. Why are you walking? It's a fine morning to fly!" Mayor Kendrick smiled, and the smile seemed genuine.

 _I've been flying all night, you old goat._ "Morning."

"Have you been able to speak with Alpha yet?"

"Yeah," Tooth Fairy folded his arms, putting up a physical barrier between them.

"And?"

Tooth Fairy bit back a retort that would have contained language he didn't like to use. "She's agreed to a meeting, but it can't happen until after the 11th."

"That's quite a wait." The mayor frowned, but he didn't seem cross.

"I mentioned your request to tour The Hollow, and she wanted to have an answer ready for you when you asked her. Their City Council meets on Sunday, so she should have an answer for you by then." Tooth Fairy explained. He was eager to go home and go to bed, and he even thought about skipping his morning shower. Simply getting undressed would be an ordeal, he knew, and it wasn't as if he'd gotten overly sweaty. Still...he didn't like sleeping in his clothes, or going to bed dirty. It was starting to look like this would be one of his 'two shower' days; one to get clean before bed, and one to soothe his back when he woke up.

"Ah, good thinking. She plans ahead. What do you suppose her answer will be?"

The knot between his wings seem to pull even tighter, and Tooth Fairy realized it was because he was growing tense again. Instead of answering Mayor Kendrick's question, he sighed and let some of his weariness show. "I'm very tired. I would just like to go home and go to bed, please."

Mayor Kendrick's face fell, and he shook his head. "Of course. Where are my manners? Go home and rest. We'll speak later."

 _I'm sure we will..._

* * *

At two o'clock in the afternoon, Tooth Fairy awoke to the unwelcome intrusion of his phone's alarm playing Europe's 'The Final Countdown'. He had specifically chosen that song because he was unlikely to sleep through it, and because he rather liked it. Today, however, he cracked one eye open, grumbled softly under his breath, and tapped 'Snooze' before pulling the duvet up over his head.

Between his back pain and the nightmares, he had not slept well at all. His talk with Alpha the night before had helped him somewhat at the time, but the damage had already been done. Whatever Mayor Kendrick's intentions were, he had forced Tooth Fairy to pick at a wound that was just beginning to scab over.

Tooth Fairy remembered bits and pieces of the terrible dreams that conversation had brought about, and he honestly had no idea if the wet stain on his pillow had been caused by drool or tears. He felt a little bit congested, but this was nothing to go by; the pollen count was up.

In his dream, he'd had to relive his fight with Brinna. He knew how it would end, and yet he couldn't keep the words he'd said from leaving his dream self's mouth. He wanted to scream at himself to shut up and grow a brain; he wanted to beg his sister not to leave. If he'd known then what he knew now, he would've been down on his _knees!_ But there was a script to be followed, and they were the actors in a play his subconscious brain had decided to put on.

Another dream memory surfaced, and Tooth Fairy squeezed his eyes shut tight. Alpha had _rejected_ him. Mayor Kendrick had banished him from the Fairy town, and Alpha had barred him from The Hollow for some reason. She had cut him out of her life.

He'd been alone. Again. And without a place to go this time. His worst fears had been brought out to caper about on the stage of his mind, and, front and center, standing in the spotlight, was his old nemesis. _Loneliness._ He saw _himself._ Alone. Friendless. Homeless. _Loveless._

 _I finally remember one of my dreams, and it's one of_ _ **those...**_

Tooth Fairy curled up and hugged his other pillow to his chest. It was a habit he had adopted over the centuries of coming home to an empty house each day. A coping method that he didn't even think about when he did it. He could hardly move his wings, and the ligaments creaked when he tried.

 _Just five more minutes. Or ten. Or maybe I'll just reset this thing for a few hours la-_

His alarm went off again, and now he growled as he poked his arm and head out of his covers and tapped 'Dismiss'. "Shut up..."

He forgot to reset his alarm, and when his phone began to play 'Last of the Wilds' by Nightwish an hour later he was tempted to just ignore it. But he recognized the ringtone, and he looked at the screen. It was Alpha. He hesitated, unsure if he wanted to talk to _anyone_ today, but in the end he picked up and cleared his throat. "Hey, Alpha."

"Hey, Roy. I didn't wake ye up, did I?"

He stifled a yawn and tried to smooth down his hair, as if she could see it. It stuck up in comical tufts. He would need a trim soon. "Yeah, but it's fine. I _meant_ to be up an hour ago, but my back had other ideas."

"Mm...you all right?" Alpha asked, but from her tone she already had some idea.

If it was anyone else, he would have put on his 'cheerful hat' and claimed to be fine, but he knew he couldn't fool her. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but his voice still sounded a bit thick to his ears. "Um...I uh..."

 _Don't you_ _ **dare**_ _cry!_ He mentally scolded himself. He had been doing so well! Or he _thought_ he had. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Not really..."

"I'm sorry, luv..." There was some rustling around, and it sounded like she might either be getting up herself or getting dressed with him on speaker. "That was a stupid question."

"Nah..." Tooth Fairy shook his head and carefully swung his legs out of bed, burying his bare toes in the thick bedside rug. It was blue; Brinna's favorite color. He turned his eyes away from it, and looked at the shiny brass doorknob instead. "It wasn't. So, what's up? Besides you, me, and the sun."

"Nothin's up, I was just thinkin' of ye."

And there was that _urge_ again. Hadn't he cried to her enough? He fought it. The silence stretched on, and he fought it.

Alpha broke the silence first. "Roy?"

He took a deep breath, then let it out.

"Hey...what's going on?"

This was a stark contrast to his dream vision of her, who had slapped him across the face and harshly told him to get out of her life. This was one of his bad days, and he knew that she knew it. He gave up trying to shove his emotions in a box, and just let himself feel what he felt. He put his free hand over his face and sniffled sharply before tearfully admitting, "I'm not okay..."

"I know you're not..."

The compassion he heard in her voice broke him up even more, and his breath hitched twice before he could stop it.

"D'ye want to come over? Or I could come to _you_...You're in your room, right?"

He sniffled again, swallowing hard. "Yeah, but...the rules..."

" _Fuck_ the rules." Somehow, she made that statement sound gentle! " _He_ knows I've already been there before, and I won't tell if you won't. Do you need me?"

Tooth Fairy made a short, watery sound that was half-laugh, half-sob. He nodded, then realized she wouldn't see that. "Yeah."

He didn't hear her arrival, but it didn't surprise him when a hand settled lightly onto his shoulder before the bedsprings creaked and the mattress dipped, causing him to list slightly to his right. She took his phone and put it aside, and he leaned against her as her arms went around him. He looped his arms around her waist and wept quietly with his head nestled against the hollow of her shoulder, and for a few moments they simply sat there and said nothing at all.

"My back hurts so bad..." he finally whispered against her collarbone, "And I dreamed of my fight with Brinna. I saw us finding her wings. I just keep _seeing_ it now. I'll never get that out of my head..."

"No," she whispered back, "Some things we never forget. Much as we might wish to."

"I dreamed the mayor _did_ kick me out of town, and I had nowhere to go..."

Alpha passed a gentle hand over his sleep-tangled hair. "Even if it came to that, and I certainly hope it doesn't, you'll always have a place in The Hollow. You know that..."

"Not in the dream, I didn't," Tooth Fairy swallowed a sob as he remembered. He would never try to force her to stay with him if she didn't want him, but the dream had felt so _real_ at the time. He _missed_ his sister, and in the dream Alpha had broken his heart. He still half-felt it, even with the real Alpha there to prove it false. "I was _alone..._ "

"Hey..." Alpha interrupted him and sat back, gently holding his damp face in her hands. He couldn't even _look_ at her. "You will _always_ have a place in The Hollow. And friends to turn to. And _me._ Whatever else we end up being, I'll _always_ be your friend. You don't _ever_ have to be alone again, ye hear me?"

His face twisted at the upsurge of emotion her words brought on, and he ducked his head to her shoulder again as he began to cry in earnest. Alpha held him until he was done, and it didn't take long at all. If he hadn't just woken up, and if the dreams weren't still fresh in his mind, he knew he wouldn't be doing this at all, severe back pain or no. Part of him regretted answering his phone when he did, and part of him was glad. _That_ was the dream. _She_ was the reality. And this was a relief.

After a minute or two, he sighed and sat back. "It's just...I go out, and I'm with friends. And then...everybody goes home for dinner, or to take care of their kids. Everyone else has people to go _home_ to...and _I'm_ going home by myself. Before you, I _could've_ invited friends over more often, but...as time went on, they were always busy with something else, and I got used to that. I get it; they have lives too, and my work schedule is at odds with theirs. But I would've liked to have been _invited_ from time to time. Even if my answer had to be no because of time constraints, it _really_ stinks when people don't even give you a second _thought_ anymore. It's _so_ hard, being together with friends one minute...and then there's _nobody._ No family. Just an empty house."

Alpha felt her heart break a little. It was as if her own thoughts over the years had just come pouring from his mouth, and what she said next was no casual platitude. "I know _exactly_ what you mean."

"Yeah?" He finally met her gaze, his eyes still watery and full of pain.

She nodded and tenderly dried his tears with her hands, having no handkerchief on her at the moment. "You're not the only one who's been lonely. It's _hard._ I know."

He nodded and looked down, unable to maintain eye contact for long. He put his hand over one of hers before she could remove it from his cheek, and pressed his lips against her palm in a soft kiss before letting go.

But now Alpha had an offer to bring to the table. "I know you said ye wouldn't want to risk anymore sleepovers just now, and I tend to agree. I want tae be _sure_ of where we're goin' before things ever go that far. But that's sharing a bed...or, more to the point, what sharing a bed implies. Ye can still come _over._ Just gimme a call first, in case I'm not at home. Doesn't matter if I'm asleep; if you're upset like today, and you need me, I want ye to call me. My door's always open to ye. You don't have to rattle around your empty house like a marble in a Pringles can when sleep won't come."

 _Gods, I love her so much...I might have to marry this woman._ He nodded, still feeling very low, but it helped that she was right there with him and understood where he was coming from.

"What d'ye think? That can be our new 'thing'." Alpha smiled, which he shyly returned.

"Yeah...I like that idea. And if they 'okay' you coming here to visit, same goes for you." Tooth Fairy sniffled and turned away to grab some tissues from his night stand, stifling a grunt of pain when his back protested at the movement, and he finally composed himself. "I'm probably not good company today, though..."

"Well, maybe _I_ can be." Alpha rested her hand on his back, frowning at how tight his muscles were; she could feel it through his forest green pajama top. "Unless you'd rather have the day to yourself. Sometimes we need that. _Whatever_ ye need, I'll go with it."

"I don't _know_ what I need. _.._ " He shook his head and pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, then let his palms fall on his knees with a soft 'slap'. "Why'd he have to go and open his big mouth last night? I was _fine..._ "

Alpha shook her head and began to rub his back in between his wings, lightly grazing the juncture of his right wing and his back by accident, but she immediately stopped when he tensed and his eyes widened. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head again. "No, it's...I was all uptight when I flew last night, and that always makes it worse."

"What 'it'?" Alpha frowned.

He was calmer now and no longer inclined towards tears, and he regretted his loss of emotional control almost as much as he regretted worrying her. Telling her the truth about his back problems would probably only add to her worry. But he had already said too much, so he came clean. "I fly for twelve hours every night. _Every_ night, without fail. No nights off. _Ever._ My people weren't meant to _do_ that. The men have stronger back muscles, so we have more endurance, but it's _hard._ My ancestors rarely had this job for more than a few hundred years before...well..."

Alpha felt a chill wash over her. How many generations of Tooth Fairies had died young because of their physical limitations, despite the conditional immortality of the job and the ageing-up?

 _All_ of them. That was the obvious answer. They quite literally worked themselves to death! Roy, as a male, was much better suited to such a rigorous job, and it was likely that he wouldn't share their fate. But that didn't mean he had it easy!

Tooth Fairy rested his elbows on his knees and cradled his head in his hands. "My back's _always_ sore. And today, it's _killing_ me. And then you brushed a wing, which _didn't_ hurt, and that kinda shorted out my brain for a second."

"Should I not touch, or..." Alpha shook her head, feeling her face grow warm as she wondered if she had inadvertently turned him on again, like that time she'd kissed his neck without thinking. She didn't know, nor would she ever know, what it felt like to have wings. Moreover, she didn't know if certain touches were okay while others were not. After all, he had casually offered to let her touch a wing to satisfy her curiosity back when they hardly knew each other. And it hadn't been weird at the time. She'd been too fascinated by the fact that he could make them invisible to really dwell on that. Things were different now, though.

Tooth Fairy looked over at her, thought about it for a moment, and then shook his head. "No, I'm fine with it. Actually, I think I _liked_ it. It's just...I'm really sore back there, and I didn't expect you to touch my wing just then."

"I won't if it's...well...boundary-pushing."

Finally, he gave a soft chuckle when he realized what she was getting at. "It isn't. They're not...I mean...It's a sensitive spot, but not in _that_ way. And I told you before; I know you won't hurt me."

"Certainly not intentionally," Alpha replied, then did a double-take when his stomach growled. She rubbed the space between his wings again, a little more gently this time, and he sighed. His flight muscles were like cement! "Want to come over to my house for breakfast?"

Tooth Fairy's eyes drifted shut as a wave of warmth spread out from his back and raised gooseflesh on his pajama-covered arms. She avoided touching his wings for the time being, which he was actually a little disappointed about, but he supposed it was for the best. Interest and readiness were not the same thing, and at the moment he wasn't even interested. He was just _tired._ "No thanks. I'm not really in the mood to eat. I don't know what I'm in the mood for, to be honest."

"Mm..." Alpha quirked her mouth in a half-frown and thought for a moment. "You remember that little clearing by the creek? We had our first date there."

"Sure, I remember. It was nice."

"Well, it's lovely this time o' the year. It's all green now, and the bugs aren't bad yet. You want to go there today?"

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, unsure if he was up to it or not. He didn't want to be alone, but he didn't want to bring her down either if she wanted to have fun. "To do what?"

Alpha smiled softly. "Who says we have to do _anything?_ We can just go there and enjoy the quiet. No one'll bother us there. Might even see a deer."

Tooth Fairy raised an eyebrow and actually smirked at her. "Wouldn't a peanut butter and jelly sandwich be less messy?"

She snickered and shook her head, still rubbing his back. "I don't hunt where I play, and I don't play where I hunt."

He considered this for a moment, and decided that it might not be a bad idea. He felt a bit silly for getting this upset over a conversation and a dream, but that didn't change the fact that he _was_ still very upset, and that it went much deeper than those two things. The past was something he would have to live with for the rest of his life, and every time he thought he was ready to move forward he was knocked back by another wave. Add a severe back spasm into the mix, and that was just a recipe for disaster. At least _Alpha_ didn't think he was being silly. He asked, "You don't have any work to do today?"

"My 'day' doesn't technically start until the evening. Your schedule is fixed, so I rearranged mine so we'd have more time. We don't really have 'day' or 'night' down below anyway, so there's always someone up. The important thing is to get it done, and it gets done on time more often than not." she explained. "And I get to spend more time with _you._ "

 _She rearranged her whole schedule just to be with_ _ **me?**_ "You're gonna make me cry again."

Alpha could feel the rock-hard muscles slowly begin to relax as some of the tension left them, and his back began to feel less like warm concrete and more like flesh and blood. She discovered the mother of all knots, nestled right in between his wings where he couldn't reach it, and she braced her palm against it. "You've got a _huge_ knot back here. I might be able to get it to ease up a bit, but it'll hurt at first. Do you want me to try?"

He remembered when she had done something similar for a knot he'd had in his shoulder at the bowling alley, and he remembered that it had felt better afterwards. He didn't steel himself, because that would have meant tensing up, but he did take in a deep breath before nodding. "Go ahead."

Alpha pressed down on the knot, lightly at first, but with gradually increasing pressure. "Don't hold your breath, luv. Ye need to breathe for this."

"Okay," Tooth Fairy felt a sharp, deep pain in his back when she did this, but it was a different sort of pain, and not exactly like that of a cramping muscle. His muscles resisted, purely out of reflex, and he breathed shallowly through is mouth as he had second thoughts. _Okay, this_ _ **really**_ _hurts..._

Alpha kept the pressure on, but didn't increase it; she paused. "Deep breaths. You all right?"

"Yeah," he gasped, then forced himself to do as she said and take deep breaths rather than shallow ones.

"Should I continue?"

He nodded again, and she nodded back.

Alpha didn't add much more pressure, but she didn't release him either, and slowly he found relief. The knot yielded, little by little, and he sighed deeply. She began to rub her hand over the spot, and while she couldn't make it go away completely (this would take several sessions, and a professional who could do it better), he wore a look of blissful relief. "How does it feel now?"

"Ahhh...I don't know if I should thank you for doing it, or Pearl for teaching you..." he sighed again.

She smiled. "You should probably take a warm shower after this. Not a hot one, that might make you dizzy. And drink some water. I'll just pop back home for a bit to get a few things, and you can let me know when you're ready to go, okay?"

He nodded, brightening a bit when she kissed him and got to her feet. "Thanks, Alpha."

His smile disappeared when she did, but he _did_ feel a little better, and his severe back pain had been reduced to a dull, throbbing ache. He would certainly take the ache over what he'd had before! A hot shower really would have felt good just then, but something about her advice had jogged his memory. He recalled something he had read long ago when he was flipping through a book on massage therapy he'd bought on a whim. He had lost interest in the subject rather quickly, not wanting to be seen in such a state of undress by a stranger, and not having anyone special in his life to practice on.

Now he wondered if he still had that book somewhere. Alpha had already seen him shirtless when he was ill, but hadn't been put off by it. And the way things were progressing between them...

But now he was getting a bit ahead of himself. And the fact that this train of thought hadn't led to him internally fretting about 'will we or won't we' spoke volumes about his state of mind. In truth, all he really wanted to do was go back to sleep. But he'd already said he would go, and he liked _that_ idea too.

Maybe Alpha wouldn't mind if he took a nap while they were there. Although, that would probably be bad for his back, because who brings an air mattress into the woods when they're not camping? Also, he didn't have one of those, and he doubted that she did, and this was a more ridiculous train of thought than the last one!

He went to have his shower.

* * *

The clearing by the stream had changed a lot since wintertime, but it was still recognizable, and Tooth Fairy sat beside Alpha on a picnic blanket in silence. Alpha had brought a pack containing snacks for herself (and for him, in case he changed his mind), and this she had stashed behind them.

Tooth Fairy hugged his knees, gazing into the stream as if hypnotized. The water was so clear that he could see the stones and mud that lay beneath the surface, and it flowed over them like liquid glass. Here and there, wisps of green algae grew on the stones and fallen branches. They moved with the current but kept their place, never once being swept off downstream despite the creek's best efforts. Every now and then, a minnow would swim into view, and at one point he saw a crayfish crawl out from under one rock only to hide beneath another. A red-eared slider sunned itself on one of the half-submerged branches of the old fallen tree.

A whole little world existed in that unassuming little creek, if one only paused to look.

The breeze that blew over the water was pleasantly cool, and the trees provided shade from the sun. The honeysuckle wasn't in bloom yet, and wouldn't be until the summer, but his mind could easily call up that familiar scent.

He stole a glance at Alpha, and caught her turning her eyes away from him. She had been watching him. He felt guilty, and more than a little self-conscious. Once they had seated themselves, which he now realized was over an hour ago, he hadn't said so much as a word to her. "I'm sorry."

Alpha turned her head and looked at him with a frown. "Whatever for, luv?"

"I _told_ you I wasn't good company today." He looked away.

"Roy..." Alpha touched his shoulder, but he didn't respond to that, and she asked, "After everything that's happened since we met, do you honestly think I'd only stick around when ye _are_ good company? You're not bad company _now._ You're just going through a bad time. And I'm no' afraid of silence."

The lower half of his face itched, and he rubbed it with his hands to relieve it; his stubble rasped audibly. For the first time in many weeks, he had forgotten to shave. _No. I can't go back to being in that mindset. I won't._ "All this because of a bad dream and a backache."

"You're talkin' to someone who bawled on your shoulder after a nightmare of her own," she reminded him, "and knowin' what you have to do every night, it's a wonder you don't have more back problems than ye do now. You're _allowed_ to have a bad day."

Tooth Fairy looked at her, then finally he cracked a tiny smile and scooted a little closer so that their sides touched. "It's not _all_ bad."

He kissed her, and they both said 'I love you' at the same time before cracking up a little at that. Then he grew serious again. "Alpha?"

"Aye?"

Tooth Fairy hadn't wanted to dwell on such an unsavory subject, but maybe if he got to the bottom of why he was so rattled after the night before, this cold dread might go away. "I...I don't _know_ what to expect from the mayor. I thought I did, but I don't. No matter what, it seemed like Aiden could do no wrong when he was a kid. He only got worse as he grew up. And he hates our guts."

"He's not one o' _my_ favorites either."

"Me neither, I can't stand him. But he's high up on the social ladder. I would be too, because of my job, but I never played the 'I'm better than you' game. My parents made sure I never got a high-and-mighty attitude. I just kinda faded into the background after Brinna left...But he's got a lot of supporters. And the mayor won't stand up to him." Tooth Fairy began to play with his floss.

"What are ye sayin'?"

"I'm saying that I wasn't kidding about Fairies being dangerous. You saw _me_ fight, and I'm not even a fighter. I'm just big, and I happen to have magic. Some of 'em are bigger than me, and _all_ of 'em have magic. And look what The Founders were able to do with _Brinna's_ magic!"

Alpha frowned, and now _she_ was the one who looked away. She stared at the far bank and drew her knees up to rest her forearms on them. "If we'd known that they were acting with a show of more power than they actually had, we could've overthrown them _long_ ago."

"Alpha, you're not listening-"

"I was. If all Fairies have magic, and they decide that I'm the enemy, it'd be like walking into a hornet's nest. Is that what you mean?" She looked at him again, and he nodded.

"Yeah. But it's more than just that. The Hollow is several miles below the Fairy market. Almost _directly_ below it. You're almost _in_ our town, and they don't know it. But when they _do,_ and if they decide they want you _gone..._ "

Alpha's expression turned hard. "They can bloody well _try._ "

" _No._ " Tooth Fairy said sharply, surprising her into silence. He lowered his voice, but the fear in his eyes was obvious. "Our people _can't_ get to a point where they try to fight each other, but that's exactly what I'm afraid will end up happening, and we can't _let_ it."

"Roy..."

But more of his dream was coming back to him now. Up until this moment, he hadn't remembered what had actually made Alpha turn him away in his dream, but now he knew. "They won't be able to make you _leave_ The Hollow. Mother Nature would never allow it, for one thing. But if there's a loophole, _any_ loophole, that lets certain Fairies make trouble, and they decide that they want to...they _will._ And if it gets to the point where you have to ban Fairies from The Hollow entirely..."

Alpha's face went pale, and she couldn't speak.

"You'd have to ban me, too." Tooth Fairy looked out over the water as his heart sank like a stone.

"Never."

"Never?" He didn't look back at her now. "If you had to choose between me and The Hollow...if you were ever _forced_ to choose, if they forced your hand...I _know_ you'd choose The Hollow. And...I...I think I'd be disappointed in you if you didn't. There are good people in both places. Children. _Babies._ They don't deserve to be caught up in some kind of conflict just because a spoiled rich boy got his bell rung by a girl."

Alpha stared at him, expressionless, then frowned and turned to fully face him. "Well, that's a defeatist attitude if ever I did hear one. For one thing, I could just deny them access in the first place, and that would be that."

"That would cause a grudge."

"So? They don't know where we are yet. What could they possibly do to us if they don't know where to look?"

"Well..."

Alpha wasn't finished. "And either way, none of this has even happened. If it ever _did_ come down to a choice, _I_ decide who we ban and who we don't. Well, the Council decides. And we'll take it on a case by case basis, because as you said, there are good people there as well. That _has_ to be true, because _you_ came from there. I choose you... _and_ I choose The Hollow. And anyone who doesn't like it can go to Hell."

Tooth Fairy chuckled at that and shook his head. He didn't know if she was right about this or if he was, but he liked the sound of her 'speech' better. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Alpha grinned and leaned over, kissing his sandpapery cheek. "You're _cute,_ that's what."

"I'm _not,_ " he scowled.

"Handsome, then."

"You really think so?" he squinted. "Because you'd be the only woman I'm not related to who's ever said so."

Alpha shrugged and turned towards the water again. When she'd first met him, aside from the wings, which had been a curiosity, he hadn't particularly stood out to her as being 'attractive'. In truth, no one did.

"What?" Tooth Fairy could see that there was something she wasn't saying.

Alpha didn't know if she should tell him this or not. It might actually hurt his feelings in the long run if he took it wrong. "Nothing."

"Come on..." Tooth Fairy wrapped an arm around her, but only as a pretext to tickle her side.

"Ack! No!"

"Tell me, and I'll stop," He grinned, holding her against his side so that she couldn't get away (well, she could, but not without injuring him), and kept tickling her.

"All right! _All right!_ Hahaha! I'll _t-tell_ ye!" Alpha twisted in his grip, then lightly batted his hands away when he let go. She couldn't be too irritated, though; it was nice to see him smiling again.

"I'm listening."

"You cheated," she accused, but she decided to just go ahead and tell him. "Well...all right, maybe I'm a little weird in this regard, but...I've never been physically attracted to someone without having an emotional bond with them first. I mean, _ever._ I'll notice if someone looks conventionally attractive, but...I'll admire them the same way you might admire a painting in a gallery. Appreciate it for what it is, but ye don't want to take it _home_ with ye. But if there's a bond with someone...and it's only happened a few times...the more I see of who they are, the more attractive they become to _me._ Looks don't even factor into it. It's the _person._ But for me, this only extends towards men. I've never had it happen with a woman..."

Tooth Fairy nodded slowly; it actually _did_ make sense to him. "Maybe I've spent too much time around Cupid..."

"Hm?"

"Yeah, he's spoken about attraction before, and the different kinds of love, and so on. But it seems kinda rude to slap a label on people..." he shrugged.

She decided to play along. "Well, label me; what am I?"

"He'd probably call you a 'heteromantic demisexual'. Means pretty much what you said. Which means I'm handsome to _you_ but probably to no one else." he explained.

"Good, I don't like competition," Alpha smiled, but followed it up with a compliment. "But even before I really got to know ye, I thought you had very kind eyes. And I like your face when ye smile."

And he _had_ to smile then. "Anyway, that's not what _I'd_ call you."

"Oh? What would you call me, then?"

Tooth Fairy tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and kissed her before whispering in her ear. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I'll love you forever."

"Mm," Alpha kissed him again. "I like yours better."

But things didn't escalate any further than that, and they simply sat for a while in a comforting embrace that he probably needed more than she did. His worries hadn't been silenced, but they _had_ been reduced to background noise, and instead of listening to them and getting all worked up he focused on the here and now.

"It _is_ really nice here. I don't wanna leave..."

"Aye," Alpha sat back first, and reached for her pack. "I always want to stay 'just a little bit longer'. You in the mood for a sandwich?"

"Sure, what kind?"

"Peanut butter and jelly." Alpha smirked. "Since Bambi never showed up."

"Heh! Well, we're having venison tomorrow, if dinner's still on, so hopefully you can hold out that long." He accepted his sandwich with a grin.

"It is, and I'll try to hang on."

"Carnivore." He tapped her on the nose with a finger.

"Rude," she tapped him right back. "I'm an omnivore."

"I stand corrected," he chuckled, unwrapping his sandwich. All things considered, he was in a much better mood than the one he woke up in, and he was glad he'd answered his phone.


	30. Chapter 30: New Friends

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _April 10th has a better 'feel' to it. TF kills some time (don't tell Father Time!) at Alpha's before dinner, and he decides to be a gentleman and help her fold her laundry. Gemma is just as nervous about having an outsider enter her home as Tooth Fairy is about making a good impression. After some awkwardness, TF manages to break the ice. Conversation eventually turns to the next day's City Council meeting._

 _Exposition over, I'm gonna talk to you guys for a moment. I'll be honest, it's been a really rough year. These stories have kept me going (until they didn't), but eventually life got in the way, and after a series of letdowns I FINALLY got a job! It was only seasonal, but I've really enjoyed it, and I was told I have a pretty good chance of being able to come back when there's a need. I was working fulltime hours, so I really haven't had time for writing, despite being in a much better place lately. Updates will be coming along again, though maybe not as frequently as before. Those of you who follow these stories, thank you SO much for taking the time to read them!_

"Chapter 30: New Friends"

April 10th

At around three in the afternoon, Alpha sat cross-legged on her bed with a pile of clean laundry beside her. Roy hadn't dropped by that morning, but judging by their brief phone conversation he was feeling pretty much himself again. They had both said good night and gone to sleep, and now she was attending to some things she had let herself fall _way_ behind on.

Laundry was one of her least favorite tasks, and she was currently wearing her last clean outfit. Before turning in for the morning, she had washed enough clothes to last her the week, including one outfit for the meeting with the Fairy mayor, and she had slept while her clothes hung on cheap wooden drying racks.

It was a welcome distraction when her phone started belting out 'I'm On My Way' by The Proclaimers. She grinned as she tossed aside a T-shirt and picked up her phone. "Hey, Wintergreen."

"Hiya, sweetheart. Whatcha up to?"

"Och, not much, just foldin' some laundry. I've been bad this week, and I let it fall to the wayside."

"Ooh..." There was a crunching sound. "Aww..."

"What was that?"

Tooth Fairy snickered and admitted, "Well, I forgot about the bag of chips I put down when I was looking for the remote, and my big ol' butt just crushed 'em."

Alpha laughed, not unkindly. "I've done similar things. One time I was using the light on my cell phone to actually _look_ for my cell phone, so don't feel bad!"

"Goofball..." He teased.

"Oi, it takes one tae know one."

"Heh...Mind if I join ya? I woke up sooner than I'd planned on, and I'm just sitting here twiddling my thumbs." He offered.

Alpha almost said 'yes', but she hadn't sorted the laundry pile, and the thought of him seeing her undergarments made her cheeks go red. Which was silly, because they had already shared a bed three times! Not that they had done anything but sleep and talk...but she didn't want _him_ to get embarrassed, and she thought he might if she didn't hide a few things! "Um...aye, give me five minutes, all right? Just...er...yeah, just go ahead and bypass the door, use a Ring. After five minutes."

Tooth Fairy paused, wondering why she was acting a bit odd all of a sudden, but he shrugged it off. Maybe she wasn't dressed yet, or something. "Alllllll righty...Five minutes, see ya then. Love ya."

"Love ye, too."

They ended the call, and Alpha hastily sifted through the heap of laundry as she watched the clock. There was no guarantee that he would be there in _exactly_ five minutes; he wasn't Father Time, after all! What if he arrived early? She counted what she found, counted again, then paled. "I'm missing a bra..."

Alpha stashed what she'd found in her underwear drawer without folding them, then went back to searching. "Come on...where are ye? Bastard..."

She froze when she sensed a surge of now-familiar magic in the middle of her house, and she hastily composed herself when Tooth Fairy stepped out of the Fairy Ring he'd summoned.

He carried a small Dunkin' Donuts box in one hand, which he offered with a grin after she came over for a hug and a kiss. "Munchkin?"

"Sure, I'd love one! Thanks." She selected a glazed one and took a bite. They were just as good as she remembered! "Mm. I haven't had one of these in years. Did ye stop off to get these just now?"

"Heh heh, no. I got 'em on my way home this morning. They're a little too sweet for me, to be honest, so I only ate a couple." Tooth Fairy's gaze shifted to the laundry pile...and to something lacy and white on the floor beside her bed. She spotted it at the same time, and neither of them moved or spoke for a nanosecond before Tooth Fairy fought back a snicker and acted like he hadn't seen it. Instead, he turned to her bookshelf to hide the amused smirk he couldn't quite contain. "Ooh, is that a copy of Treasure Island? I've _always_ wanted to read that!" _Aaand that explains the weirdness! Must...not...laugh!_

Alpha let out a sigh when he went over to take a look at the back cover. She was right; she'd picked a good man! "Aye, go ahead and take it home with ye. Couldn't get into it myself." She quickly snatched up her bra and shoved it under her pillow before sitting down to turn her messy laundry pile into tidy stacks of folded clothes.

"When do you find the time to read?" he asked her, thumbing through the book and being mindful of the spine. It was an old copy, judging by the yellowed pages, but other than that it was in very good condition. It seemed she hadn't been joking when she'd said she couldn't get into it.

"Nowadays, I don't, really. Sometimes I'll sneak in a chapter before bed. Currently, I'm re-reading 'The Hobbit'."

Tooth Fairy put the book on the table next to the box of Munchkins and went over to sit at the other side of the pile. "I've read that, it's pretty good. Humans have some interesting ideas about magic, though. Some of them are spot on, but others? Not so much!" He chuckled.

Alpha shook out a T-shirt and folded it. "That's a _good_ thing. But wouldn't it be neat if they turned 'The Hobbit' into a movie?"

"They already did," Tooth Fairy joined in and began helping her fold her clothes. "There's a Rankin Bass cartoon version that isn't half bad."

"Aye, I've seen it. They changed a lot and left parts out, but I suppose they had to." She noticed what he was doing then. "Oh, you don't have to do that."

"I know, but it feels kinda rude to sit here and watch while you do the work. Unless you don't _want_ me to." He handed her a folded T-shirt.

Alpha smiled and added it to her growing stack. "Well, if you're offering, I'm no' about to say no! Thanks."

"Uh-huh." Tooth Fairy grabbed another shirt and continued, "I think they actually _are_ making a live-action movie version. Might be a two-parter. Knowing them, though, they'll try to make it into a trilogy so they can clean up at the box office, with lots of CGI and filler." He rolled his eyes. "I still wanna see it, though."

"Ooh, we'll have to make a day of it when it comes out!"

"Just don't ask me to go in costume!" he smirked, "Apparently, that was a thing with the Lord of the Rings trilogy."

"You mean I don't get to see you dressed up as Gandalf?" Alpha teased, and he promptly pelted her with a balled-up T-shirt. "Haha! Okay, no costumes."

"Hahahaha!" Tooth Fairy shook his head, then glanced around the room. Something had just occurred to him. "Say, Alpha, do you have a basement I don't know about, or something?"

"Uhhh...no? Why?"

"I'm just wondering where you keep your washer and dryer. I mean, I didn't see...Oh." Tooth Fairy realized that he had just assumed, and grew embarrassed. "Sorry."

"Och, don't worry about it. No, I've got an iron and an ironing board, but I wash my clothes in the bathtub and hang them up to dry. It's a bit tedious, but...well, ye gotta do what ye gotta do."

"But you _don't_ have to do that," he told her, "You can just come over and use mine, if you want. Might be easier."

Alpha smiled and shook her head. "I haven't been cleared to visit yet, and laundry isn't that serious a matter. And none of the others here have a washer or dryer, so I wouldn't feel right using something they can't."

Tooth Fairy very nearly offered to change that. He could certainly afford it! For him, although he didn't like to let on that this was the case, money was no concern at all. He had chosen to live _well_ below his means, mostly because he just couldn't justify spending a lot of money on himself, but due to the importance of his job he was actually very well off. But remembering how important it was to her and her people that they remain self-reliant after being The Founders' playthings for so long, he knew that such an offer would be rejected, and might even cause offense to some of them. He decided to let it be for now. "Well...if you ever change your mind, just let me know."

"No, but I appreciate it." She got up and put away her shirts, then sat back down to start folding her pants. "This is fun. Laundry day is usually a boring day!"

"Oh, yeah..." Tooth Fairy nodded. "I'm not a fan. Y'know, I remember this one time, a buddy of mine gave me this shirt for my birthday. I didn't like the shirt, but I _did_ appreciate the thought, so I decided to 'grin and wear it'. So, I wash the darn thing, and I'm ironing it, and...well, let's just say I should have read the tag first."

"What happened?"

He grinned and handed her a folded pair of blue jeans. "Well...a football game was on, the Chicago Bears vs the Greenbay Packers, and it was really getting good. I was more into the game than ironing my clothes, and I used the high heat setting on my iron to kinda speed things along. So, this shirt was _one hundred percent polyester_. It was a green paisley button-down...and then it _wasn't._ "

"Ooh..." Alpha laughed and shook her head. "That's a shame. What did you tell your friend?"

Tooth Fairy shrugged. "I didn't tell him anything. He never asked."

"Oh," Alpha nodded, then switched gears a bit. "When _is_ your birthday?"

He wasn't expecting her to ask him that. He licked his lips, making a mental note to pick up a tube of Chapstick at some point. "September twentieth. I don't really celebrate it, to be honest. For me, it's just another day." He picked up a pair of black dress slacks, and he thought that they might be the same pair she'd worn on their bowling date. "Oh, do you fold these, or hang them up?"

"Here," Alpha held out her hand, then got up to hang them in her wardrobe when he passed them to her. "I don't celebrate mine, either. My mum would cook a special meal for the family whenever one of us had one, but birthdays were never a big to-do with my family. Anyway, it tends to lose its charm after a few centuries."

"Especially if your friends are busy, and..." Tooth Fairy cleared his throat. He'd almost said 'and your family's gone', but that was a sore spot for both of them. "I think kids enjoy it more anyway. So, when's yours?"

Santa had mentioned it, having used his Christmas magic to read her before she had officially joined the Council of Legendary Figures, but Alpha wasn't surprised that Tooth Fairy didn't remember. "October seventh."

"Ah, a Halloween baby," he teased.

"Aye, or close to it. You think you'd ever want to celebrate yours again?" she asked.

He shrugged, and it seemed to her that he had mentally taken a step back. "I dunno..."

"Okay...I'm sorry I brought it up."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and gave a little smile. "Actually, I think _I_ brought it up. Birthdays, I mean. I don't know, maybe _someday._ I'm just not there right now, y'know?"

"Aye," Alpha nodded, and for a few moments they folded in silence. Between the two of them, they got the job done fairly quickly, and she gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thanks for the help, luv. You're the best."

Tooth Fairy's slight frown melted into a genuinely happy smile. "Don't hear _that_ very often."

"Well, ye _are._ A lot of people would have called attention to what was on the floor earlier." She smirked as she went to put the last of her clothes away.

It took him a second or two to remember, and he let out the laugh he'd held in before. "Hahahahaha! Well, I didn't want to embarrass you, but since _you_ brought it up!"

"I thought _you'd_ be embarrassed."

"If it was a pair of my _boxers,_ then yeah, but I just thought it was funny." They were both chuckling now. "Look, don't worry about it. Ish happens."

"'Ish'?" Alpha was both amused and incredulous.

Tooth Fairy gave a rather defensive shrug. "I don't like to swear."

"Oh," Alpha sat down next to him. "Does it bother you when _I_ do it?"

"Nah," He shook his head and linked his fingers through hers. "Personal choice. I'm around kids all the time with my job. Even though they're always asleep, some of them are _very_ light sleepers. If I hit my shin on something or bump my head coming in the window, I don't want to accidentally say something their parents wouldn't want them to repeat. So, I avoided the habit."

"Ah," she nodded, giving his hand a squeeze. "That's probably a good idea. Kids are like wee little sponges; ye never know what they're takin' in until they decide to share their new vocabulary when company's over."

"Hehe, yeah...I remember Buddy giving his parents a bit of a shock when I was visiting last year, and it turns out he'd learned it from Charlie. One of those situations where you're nearly biting through your tongue, because you don't wanna laugh and encourage the kid." Tooth Fairy told her, forgetting that she had no idea who Charlie was.

"Is Charlie one of the Elves?" Alpha cocked her head.

"Oh!" He shook his head. "Sorry, I forgot you don't know him. He's Santa's son from his first marriage. _Real_ nice kid. I mean...he's not a kid _anymore,_ he's a senior in college, but I still remember the day I met him. He was eight or nine at the time. Heh...He didn't bat an eye when he found out the Tooth Fairy's actually a _guy._ He was just excited to meet me. And the rest of us, of course."

"Oh, I didn't even know Santa _had_ other children."

"Just the one. And Charlie has a half-sister by his stepdad, Neil, as well. Lucy. Wow...she'd be about thirteen now!" Tooth Fairy shook his head. For a Fairy, a thirteen-year-old would still be a very small child, but for a human? At thirteen, Lucy would be a young lady now. "Still boggles my mind how fast humans grow..." _And how short a lifespan they have..._

Alpha didn't have to ask him why his expression turned a little sad; she had outlived nearly everyone she had ever loved, liked, or even hated, and it _was_ a sad thing to think about. Every now and then, a special person would come along, and their loss always left a big hole behind. _Our hearts must look like Swiss Cheese by now..._

"Well...anyway, is there anything I should know about before we go to Sarah and Gemma's place tonight?" Tooth Fairy changed the subject, which had turned unintentionally grim.

"Hm? Oh! Well, Gemma will probably be a bit standoffish at first, but try not to take it personally. Newcomers here are usually...well...Most of the time, when we get someone new, it's because 'the local cryptid' has been spotted too many times on the surface. If it looks like there'll be a conflict between them and the humans, that's when we step in. That's how The Founders located most of the people they brought down here. Now it's the Vampires who do the locating, and it's only to offer a safer place to live. If we're satisfied that they aren't dangerous to _us,_ that is."

"Uh-huh..." Tooth Fairy nodded, wondering how many innocent humans and monsters ended up in a bad situation out of mutual fear.

Alpha continued, "But you're a bit different. Aside from your wings, ye look human. So...she won't trust you at first."

"That's understandable, but..." Tooth Fairy shook his head, a crease appearing between his eyebrows.

"But?" Alpha urged him to continue with a light nudge.

He went on, hoping that what he said next wouldn't be in any way derogatory. "The Witches. _They_ look human. Especially Pearl. She's the only one I've seen with...well, she's not green, or blue, or purple. Humans don't have green skin. Or any of the other colors I've seen here. Aside from that and the magic, they could _be_ human."

Now Alpha gave a knowing grin. "That's because they _are._ Or, their ancestors were."

"What?" He couldn't conceal his shock.

"Aye," Alpha let go of his hand and shifted so that she was seated cross-legged and facing him. "The skin colors are a relatively new development, just within this past century. The Witches here are the descendants of the humans who were 'rescued' while the Salem witch trials were going on. Avery and Viola could sense who had real magic, whether they were aware of it or not, and those who had been falsely accused. They left the 'normal' humans to their fate..."

"That's _horrible._ And so like them..." Tooth Fairy shook his head. "So, why do you think the Witches are..."

"I don't know. It might be the slight genetic bottleneck down here, or it _could_ be that their own magic was influenced by the magic in this place, and it's manifesting in their skin. Whatever the case, they no longer identify as humans. Pearl is the last living Witch with a 'human' skin tone." Alpha made 'air quotes'; Elves had the same variations of skin tone, and she imagined that other races might as well, but she couldn't think of another word for it, and he didn't take offense.

"Ahhh...so, I'm guessing it's more of an 'outsider who can pass as a human' than a 'looks like a human' thing."

"Mm-hmm. She'll come around. Just be your own, sweet self."

He chuffed softly through his nose and looked down, his cheeks burning.

She grinned. _I love making him do that!_

* * *

Sarah inhaled deeply through her nose, then let it out in an appreciative sigh. "Babe, that roast smells _amaaazing!_ It's times like these I wish I could eat."

She was smiling, but Gemma wasn't. The Witch had her hair pulled back in a messy bun, and she was fretting over the stewed apples she had nearly burned.

After removing the pan from the burner and tasting it to make sure it was still okay, Gemma sighed in relief. But her relief was short-lived. "I don't even know if he _likes_ venison. Oh my God, what if he's vegan? I never even _thought_ of that!"

"I haven't seen too many vegans who are built like quarterbacks. Anyway, from what Alpha told me and from what I saw, he's a really nice guy. Don't _worry._ " Sarah leaned back against the counter. "It'll be _fun_."

"Maybe. You think I should give him a tour of my macrame studio?" Gemma reduced the heat to low and put the pan back on, stirring a bit to keep it from sticking again.

"On the other hand, you don't want to come on _too_ strong, or you'll scare him away and Alpha might turn you inside out." Sarah teased. Gemma swatted her with the dish towel.

"It's not funny. Don't make fun of my macrame."

* * *

Tooth Fairy walked silently beside Alpha as they approached one of the houses on Blood Drive. Gone was the red glow the street had back in November. White lampposts now alternated with the red ones, reminding Tooth Fairy of the stripes on a candy cane. Like the rest of the town, with the addition of white lights, the Vampire District was brighter and much more welcoming. He wondered if this was why Alpha didn't need her sunglasses up on the surface as much as she had before.

His palms were sweaty, and he hoped this wouldn't cause him to drop the bottle of merlot he carried. He nearly protested when Alpha took his free hand, but she either didn't notice how damp it was or didn't mind it. Either way, she made no comment, and instead asked him a soft question.

"All right, luv?"

"Yeah, why?"

 _Because your scent changed,_ Alpha nearly said, but then she would have had to explain how good her sense of smell was, even in her current form, and this wasn't the time. A human might not have picked up on the sour tang of anxiety, faint as it was, but she had scented it often enough over the centuries to know what it was. She gave his hand a double squeeze. "Just askin'."

"I look all right? Not...ya know, shabby?"

Alpha paused with her fist raised to knock, and turned towards him to look him up and down. "Hmm...Every hair in place. A close shave. A nicely pressed white shirt. New blue vest...matching coat and pants. _Nice_ new shoes...You really went all out. Ohp!" She let go of his hand and straightened his tie, which didn't actually _need_ straightening, and whispered in his ear, "You're _always_ dressed nicely. What's important is what's in here."

Tooth Fairy felt her lay a palm on his chest, and his heart immediately began to hammer. "O-okay."

"It'll be _fine._ I promise." She gently pulled him in by his tie and kissed him.

And that was when the door opened, catching them in a mildly compromising position, and they quickly broke apart.

Sarah gave them a wry smile. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No." They both blurted out before exchanging an embarrassed look. Then they laughed. Had Sarah been watching for them from the window? Because her timing was impeccable!

"Well, what are you two still standing out _there_ for?" Sarah reached out and grabbed them both by their forearms. "Get in here! Here, Roy, let me take your coat. Gemma, they're here!"

"Coming," Gemma called back from the kitchen. "I'm just taking it out of the oven, give me a minute."

Tooth Fairy thanked Sarah as he passed her his coat, straightened his tie, and cleared his throat. He gave a polite nod when Gemma came out to greet them. "Hi, Gemma. Dinner smells _great._ Uh...here." He awkwardly held out the bottle.

Gemma looked at it, then looked back up at him. He looked as nervous as she felt, and she carefully took the bottle. "Oh, uh...thanks. But...I don't have a corkscrew."

He grinned and fished around in his coat pocket before producing the one he'd bought two days prior. "Ya do _now._ You can keep it, if you want. I don't really drink, so..."

Sarah waved a dismissive hand. " _Tonight,_ you do." Before he could protest, she continued, "I know, I know you have to fly tonight. How 'bout just a small amount for taste? Unless you don't _like_ it."

"Oh, I like it just fine, I just...oh, well. 'Wine' not?" He grinned, and immediately wished he hadn't made such a horrible joke. Sarah didn't laugh, and instead looked mildly confused. Alpha held back a laugh; she liked puns. But Gemma just _stared_ at him. _Oh no, this is horrible. Why did I_ _ **say**_ _that?_

Gemma snorted. She covered her mouth. Her shoulders jiggled. She looked at Alpha, clearly more relaxed than before. "He's _funny._ "

Alpha nodded, chuckling a bit. "Aye."

"Sure, I'm funny," Tooth Fairy brightened, and added, "But looks aren't everything."

Gemma finally began to relax. "Well, thank you very much. It should go well with the roast. I hope you brought your appetite."

Tooth Fairy's stomach chose that exact moment to growl, and they laughed again as they trooped into the dining room.

Sarah hadn't been kidding when she said Gemma could cook. Tooth Fairy had eaten venison before, and although he liked it well enough, it was usually dry and even a bit gamey. _This_ meal was neither of those things. "Mm...This is _incredible._ You willing to share the recipe?"

Gemma's cheeks turned a slightly deeper green, and she pointed her fork at Alpha. "Thank you. _Her_ recipe, though."

Alpha shrugged. "Originally, aye, but she's improved on it."

"All I did was add rosemary."

Sarah, who was busy opening the wine bottle, leaned over and kissed Gemma on the forehead. "Don't be so modest. I _told_ you it smelled amazing."

Tooth Fairy turned to Alpha. Much like her with him, he had assumed that she didn't really know how to cook. The reason he'd thought that was because of the unusually small amount of food she always kept in the house, and the fact that it was more or less 'ready to eat'. But now he was rather excited to see what they could make. "We'll have to see what _we_ can cook up together."

"We _should!_ " Alpha agreed.

Sarah poured the wine, only giving Tooth Fairy about three quarters of an inch in his glass because that was when he'd held up a hand to signal for her to stop, and Gemma blushed again. Instead of wine glasses, they were using small jelly jars.

"I'm _so_ sorry. I don't have any wine glasses," she apologized.

Tooth Fairy and Alpha heartily reassured her that it was fine, and Tooth Fairy added, " _My_ cabinet's full of mismatched plastic cups with sports logos on the side. They still hold water just fine. _These_ are nice."

Sarah lounged back in her chair while the others ate. "Fairies watch sports?"

" _This_ one does," he grinned back, had a sip of wine (it was good!), and continued, "We have our own games, but some of us like to watch the humans play on TV."

Sarah, who had been balancing her chair on the back two legs, sat forward with a 'bump'. "Some of us bloodsuckers like to crash an occasional game. Usually something outside; it's easier for a bat to get in. We sit way above the seats, and no one knows we're there."

"Isn't that kinda stealing?" he asked.

"Not if you don't get caught!" Sarah winked. Then, seeing that he didn't approve (although he didn't say so), she shook her head. "It's not like we do it _often._ And they assume humans will be the ones sneaking in. We're not human, so it's fine."

Tooth Fairy didn't agree with her, but he nodded anyway. It seemed a relatively minor offense, and it was none of his business.

"You got a favorite sport?" Sarah asked him.

"Football."

Alpha sipped her wine, and teased, "The American version, or the _real_ version?"

He affectionately brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "The 'not soccer' version."

Sarah nodded. "Cool. I prefer baseball, though."

"Better snacks?" He asked, thinking about the concession food they sold at these events. Then he caught himself and winced. "Oh, sorry...I keep forgetting, you guys don't eat."

Gemma shuddered. "She tried once, after Robert dared her..."

"Oh?" Tooth Fairy turned to her. "What happened?"

"The opposite of 'what goes up must come down'."

Alpha nodded. "I was there. Wasn't pretty."

Tooth Fairy made a face and debated pushing his plate away. Then he shrugged and took another bite. _Nope, still hungry._

"Now, in my defense, my 'dinner' date that evening had had quite a bit to drink." Sarah refilled Alpha's wine glass, then Gemma's; Tooth Fairy shook his head when she offered, and she set the bottle down again. "These days, we don't even bite people."

"Oh?" Tooth Fairy was morbidly curious. "What do you do instead?"

Sarah and Gemma exchanged a look, and Sarah folded her hands on the table. "I've only been back at The Hollow for a little while; it's why you didn't meet me sooner. I didn't know those two dipwads were gone, and I had no way of getting back in. And none of the others knew where I was..."

Gemma picked at her food. "I thought I'd never see you again..."

"Aww, babe..." Sarah gave her hand a squeeze. "While I was out, I met a couple Vampires who...get this...worked on an IV team at a hospital! So, they knew how to draw a pint without the scent driving them crazy, and they taught _me_ how to do it. And when I spotted Alpha out on a hunt, I brought them to meet her and she got us back home. Then we taught the others how to do it, and we haven't had a single 'accident' since. So, now it's very safe for the humans and our consciences."

"Oh, wow..." Tooth Fairy was impressed, but concerned. "But aren't those things 'single use only'?"

Sarah snapped her fingers. "Ah, you caught that. See...they're _still_ working at that hospital. They love their jobs, and we can easily pass for human if we want to. They filed their fangs down, and they wear foundation to hide their pallor. But they only work _nights._ "

Gemma chimed in, "They buy all their supplies with their salaries. And a few other things."

Alpha was gobsmacked. "This is the first I've heard about that."

"Yeah, well..." Sarah tapped her thumb on the table. "We weren't keeping it a _secret._ That was just one of the things I wanted to mention at tomorrow's Council meeting."

Tooth Fairy abruptly lost his appetite. There were only two pieces of carrot left on his plate, which he pushed away, and he downed what was left of his wine. He didn't react when Alpha touched his arm.

"What? What did I say?" Sarah looked between them in confusion.

"Nothing," Tooth Fairy shook his head.

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "You're a sucky liar, no offense."

Tooth Fairy looked at Alpha as if to ask permission; after all, it was _her_ place to bring it up, since she was on their City Council and he wasn't.

Alpha shrugged. She was leaving it up to him.

He sighed and rubbed his face before looking up. "My town's mayor wants to visit The Hollow...and Alpha was going to bring _that_ up at the meeting as well."

"Wait, back it up, what?" Sarah squinted. "Alpha, are you keeping things from us?"

"It's not like that," Alpha assured her. "It only just came up. In a nutshell...outsiders aren't allowed in his town without permission, and I've been there three times. Two that they know of."

"Oh, he wants to make it even. That's fair, I guess..." Sarah still looked doubtful.

Tooth Fairy appreciated that Alpha hadn't brought his personal business into it, but these two had opened their home to him, a relative stranger, and he thought that they deserved to know the whole truth. "Alpha only went there to help _me._ I..."

"Ye don't have to, luv..." Alpha whispered.

"It's okay," he told her, "I can do this."

"Do what?" Sarah was completely serious now.

Tooth Fairy licked his lips. "It's because of The Founders that I no longer have a sister. She'd been missing for centuries, and I just found out the truth last November. They'd been using _her_ magic..."

Sarah and Gemma didn't ask how The Founders were able to do this, and he was grateful to them for that. Instead of pushing for more details, they immediately offered their sympathies.

"Oh...we're so _sorry,_ " Gemma reached across the table and briefly touched his shoulder.

Sarah nodded slowly. "That must've been hard on you."

"Yeah. Still is." He cleared his throat, but didn't come anywhere close to losing his composure. This time, talking about it was _his_ choice. And a rustic venison dinner with friends tasted a thousand times better than a posh prime rib dinner with a stuffy, two-faced old man! "But anyway, that's why Alpha was there. I was doing pretty bad for a while. And a few days ago, when she and I were out...not in my town, just out to see a movie...the mayor's nephew had a go at Alpha, and she defended herself."

"He still alive?" Sarah raised an eyebrow. She was kidding, but Alpha didn't look amused.

"Aye, and thanks a lot..." she muttered.

"So," Tooth Fairy concluded, "Mayor Kendrick wants to meet Alpha, to see for himself what she's like, and he asked to visit The Hollow. An 'act of good faith', he called it."

"Hm..." Sarah folded her arms. "Yeah, I don't know about that. You trust the guy?"

Tooth Fairy snorted. "Up until the other night, I did...He forced the same story I just told you out of me, only he wanted details, details, details..."

"Ugh..." Sarah shook her head.

"Alpha said it was necessary," Tooth Fairy sounded slightly bitter about it. "And after she explained why, I kinda agree. But I just can't give ya an unbiased opinion of the guy. Not after that."

"Mmm..." Gemma shook her head in sympathy. "You know what? If we _do_ let them in, we'll have to make a good impression. Make sure the streets are swept, change any burned out bulbs-"

"Lock Robert in the pantry..."

"Sarah!" Gemma scolded.

"What?" Sarah feigned innocence.

"Sarah, no."

Alpha grinned. "Sarah, _yes._ "

Tooth Fairy pressed his lips together to keep in a laugh.

Gemma pursed her lips to hide a smile. "Ignore them, Roy. We'll be the mature adults."

Alpha remembered the time he'd squirted her with a water pistol before she chased him through the park, and she snickered.

"If you give us a list of things he likes to eat and drink, and if the Council votes yes, we'll have refreshments waiting for him," Gemma spoke over Alpha and Sarah's giggles.

Tooth Fairy nodded. "I can do that."

"What a good idea!" Alpha drained her second glass of wine. "Prove 'em wrong. I like it!"

Tooth Fairy thought that the roses the wine had put in her cheeks made her look rather fetching, and he forgot what he was going to say next.

Sarah snapped him out of his trance. "Does anyone want seconds?" No one did. "No? Good. Let's get this stuff cleared away, and I'll get out the cards. Let's see if Roy here can hold his own! And I won't go easy on you, either."

He rubbed his hands together. "Good." Then, seeing Gemma making the rounds and stacking up the plates to take to the kitchen, he got to his feet. "Here, let me help you."

"Oh, thanks." Gemma smiled and the two disappeared into the kitchen.

Sarah came back with a deck of cards, and she nodded at Alpha. "You picked a winner."

"I did." She agreed.

"Now, it's time for both of you to _lose._ "

Tooth Fairy poked his head out of the kitchen, holding a dishcloth in his hand; he had intended to wipe off the table, but Alpha held out her hands for it, and he tossed it to her. "Hey Sarah, _I_ got a game we can play."

"What's that?"

"Fifty-two pick-up."

"Hahaha, no. Nice try; Robert already got me with that one."

"Hahaha!"

Later on, Tooth Fairy's phone alarm went off, giving him a thirty minute warning; after walking Alpha home, he would have just enough time to shower and change into his work clothes. They were in the middle of their fifth game of gin rummy, and there was a collective groan as he took out his phone to silence it. "Man, tonight went by so _fast._ " And he didn't want it to be over!

In spite of her boasting, Sarah had actually done rather poorly at the game, but she was a good sport about it. "We'll have to do this again soon. I'll be able to beat you then!"

"I'll be there with bells on. Well...not literally; that'd just be _weird._ " He grinned and held up a fist, and Sarah gave him a fist bump without asking what he was doing, as some people did.

Gemma, who had really come out of her shell, stepped forward and gave him a brief hug. "Roy, I'm _so_ glad you stopped by! You're welcome in our home anytime."

"Oh, thanks. It's been a pleasure. A _real_ pleasure. Thank you for inviting me." He linked hands with Alpha after she said her own goodbyes, and his new friends saw them both to the door.

"See?" Alpha let go of his hand and slid her arm around his waist as they walked. "I told you it would be okay."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "Never doubted ya for a second, sweetheart."


	31. Chapter 31: Decisions and Restraint

"A Strange Bond"

 _Notes:_ _We meet The Hollow's (very informal) City Council, a decision is made, and they begin preparations. Tooth Fairy plays a prank on Alpha (just harmless fun), and he's been thinking very seriously about their relationship and where it's going. All this thinking causes him to get a little carried away, and they nearly throw their boundaries out the window before they remember themselves._

 _I like to imagine that TF was a bit of a class clown as a kid, and some of it carried over into adulthood. Mild content warning for Alpha and TF, but it's nothing major; just a close call. I'm keeping things PG-13, and nothing too risqué will ever happen on 'on camera'. Plus, they've got their morals! Hope you guys enjoy!_

"Chapter 31: Decisions and Restraint"

April 11th

Alpha sprinkled salt into a huge pot of freshly buttered popcorn and stirred, and her heart hammered as she heard the din of several overlapping conversations approaching the closed door of Room C. Important decisions always got her adrenaline up. The anxiety that came with being a good leader (at least, she _hoped_ she was a good leader) was made even stronger by the thought that they might vote 'no'.

This whole thing had poor Roy so stressed out that he'd been in tears two days ago, and she wasn't far behind. It meant so much to him for things to end well, and she wasn't sure if she could give him the outcome he needed and keep her people safe at the same time. She had promised him that he would always have a place in The Hollow, and she had meant it with all her heart, but she knew that it would be a small comfort if he was forced out by his own people. Even if he wasn't happy living in the Fairy Town, as seemed to be the case, she knew that a rejection like that would hurt him very deeply. _Would_ he be kicked out after all, if the City Council voted 'no' on this visit?

 _He probably won't be...They'll probably just say no to me visiting there in response, which is fair. But Roy's going to be so disappointed if that happens, and...either way, there's The Hollow to consider..._

On a certain level, it bothered her that The Hollow was beginning to take a back seat to her boyfriend's welfare, and she struggled to find a balance between the two. It was times like this that she wished someone _else_ had wanted the leadership position, and that she felt she wasn't what her people needed. But there was no one else...

The people of The Hollow wished to remain hidden, as did she, and she didn't know what to expect from the Fairies. Would they prove to be a danger to them? Would they expose them to the humans somehow? Roy's anxiety was contagious, and she didn't know if she appreciated the heads-up, or if she wished he'd kept quiet about it. But it was too late now. The pressure was on. This was happening, today, and when Harry opened the door and came in she put on her 'game face'. She wasn't very successful. "Hey, Harry. Come in, everyone. Who's for popcorn?"

Harry grinned and gave Alpha a hug that lifted her feet off the ground. "Why so serious, boss-lady?"

"Oof!" Alpha gasped, then chuckled when he set her back down. "Didn't ye know, Joker? Popcorn _is_ serious business."

"Hey, girl!" Sarah gave her a fist bump and walked over to where the folded card tables stood propped against the wall. Gemma went with her to set up the chairs.

After them came James the Skeleton and Nick the eight-limbed librarian, followed closely by Flint, an Orc who was (for his kind) a little on the short side. This put him at about seven feet even, but he walked with his chin held high, underbite and all.

Omen trotted in and jumped up onto Alpha's shoulder, accepting a piece of popcorn and discarding it after he'd licked all the butter off.

"Why don't I just set out the butter dish, Felix?" Alpha teased.

Omen swatted her face without using his claws. "Because you're stingy like that."

The last member of the City Council was a male Elf with tan skin and short wavy black hair, and his cheeks dimpled when he smiled and shut the door behind him. "Hey, Alpha. I've got some good news!"

"Hey, Chuck. Is it something I know about, or a surprise?" Alpha stood aside while those who wanted some popcorn (that is, those who could actually eat) got their helpings and sat down.

"You'll see."

They all got settled and began to speak in turn. Harry, who was the Secretary, briefly updated them on how they were doing in terms of stored resources, and all in all everything was fine.

"We just took inventory last week, and there _has_ been a bit of theft at the warehouses. Nothing major, just a few outfits, some shoes, a large cork board, various office supplies...index cards, push-pins, a few balls of kitchen twine, Sharpie markers and so on...and some food has also turned up missing." Harry adjusted his square spectacles as he read from a clipboard. "Based on what was stolen, I think it's just a kid with sticky fingers. It's nothing that'll break the bank, but Nick, perhaps an assembly is in order?"

Nick, who had been caught mid-yawn, rubbed at his eyes. "They _know_ not to steal, so what's the point in telling them again? I've got my hands full as it is, trying to get them to pay attention in class."

Flint laughed at the mention of 'hands'. "Yeah, you've only got six of those!"

Even Nick, who was a notorious grouch, had to laugh at that. "Okay, for all the good it'll do, I'll squeeze it in between Algebra and English."

Sarah, who was in charge of Law Enforcement and Scouting, went next, informing the Council about the change in Vampire feeding habits. It was very well received, and Gemma, who was the head of the Health Department there, had nothing to add.

Alpha said, "Letting the two newest Vampires continue to work at a human hospital _is_ a bit of an exposure risk, to be honest. But we _do_ want to avoid harming the humans if we can, and unless we can find another way to get the funds for your supplies, I see no reason why they shouldn't continue. For the time being."

After a general murmur of agreement, James was pleased to announce that there was such a surplus of produce coming up from the lower level that they might have to set up a canning facility.

Which brought them to Flint. "My men and I can get started as soon as we can gather the supplies for it. And if I can suggest a location-"

"No," Nick scowled, "We already put it to a vote, and we are _not_ building where The Founders hung their hats."

"But it's good, solid ground, and-"

"It's a bad idea," James shook his head, and Gemma nodded.

"Can I _finish,_ please? And you voted 'no' for building _homes_ there, not business establishments, and-" Flint raised his voice as several of the others tried to talk over him, " _Listen to me, it's my turn! And there is_ _ **no**_ _reason why we can't reclaim it, and...Nick, I'm talking. Harry, don't...James, I'm trying to...I said_ _ **LET ME FINISH!**_ "

They could feel the sound waves from his booming voice reverberating in their chests like the beat of a kettle drum, and he forgot his strength as he pounded his fist on the table for emphasis. The table cracked down the middle, and popcorn flew in all directions. Gemma squeaked and scrambled out of her chair, and Harry got in Flint's face.

" _ **Calm down!**_ Look what you did." the Sasquatch pointed at the mess, and then gestured at Gemma, who had dissolved into tears. "She's _crying_ now! Are you proud of yourself?"

Omen and Sarah hissed, James and Nick joined in with the scolding, and Gemma buried her face in her wife's shoulder.

Alpha stuck her finger and thumb into her mouth and blew a piercing note that got everyone's attention and surprised Gemma into composure. "Flint, that was unacceptable. We don't conduct ourselves in this manner."

"I'm...I'm sorry. I'm finished." Flint meekly went to get a broom while Harry picked up the remains of the table and Gemma and Nick got a replacement.

Alpha sighed, trying not to mentally obsess over the wasted food and the broken table. Those tables had been hard to get, and now they would be one short. "And it _was_ Flint's turn to speak. We need to work on that."

They set things up again, some of them in a state of silent embarrassment, and finally all were seated and avoiding each other's eyes.

"Now," Alpha cleared her throat, "Chuck, you said you had news?"

"Oh! Right. I've been talking to Santa, and he's agreed to put a bug in Curtis's ear about including The Hollow in the North Pole Data Plan. Everyone who wants one will receive a cell phone, so if anyone gets into trouble on the surface, or is gone for too long...or if they just want to have a chat, they can be reached." Chuck grinned, looking quite pleased with himself. "I have a box of order forms back at my house for you to pass out, and production has already begun."

Nick pretended to write something down in an imaginary notebook. "Note to self: Ban the use of cell phones in the classroom..."

"That's wonderful, Chuck! Those will really come in handy." Alpha's smile abruptly dropped as she remembered one particularly shocking incident when she'd accidentally stumbled across something she wished she could unsee. Thankfully, Roy wasn't there for that; as bashful as he could be about certain things, she was fairly certain that she would have been able to fry an egg on his forehead! "Oh, can Santa include internet restrictions for some of them? Namely, the underage brigade?"

"Already on it," Chuck gave her a thumbs up.

"Good. Now..." Alpha's phone gave a text alert; the first eight notes of 'Deck the Halls'. She took out her phone, and snickered at the text Santa had sent her; it was a picture of a _very_ angry Bernard arguing with Curtis in front of the Panagraph, with the text message, 'Curtis used Bernard's cell as a template, and accidentally wiped all his data. At least, I hope it was an accident. Send help!'.

She quickly texted back, 'Oh no!' and put her phone on silent. "Ahem...so, there's just one more order of business, but it's a big one, and it _will_ require a majority vote. Sarah and Gemma are already aware of it."

The Council listened patiently while she explained, with Sarah and Gemma chiming in with little details here and there. Roy had previously given Alpha his permission to tell the Council about what The Founders had done to his sister (minus the wing stealing part, because he preferred _not_ to advertise to non-Fairies outside of his tiny circle of trust that this was a thing), since it added context, and when Alpha was finished they looked uncertain.

"I don't like it," Nick shook his head.

"You don't like anything," Flint muttered.

Harry shook his head. "In a way, I get where this Mayor Kendrick is coming from. There was a safety breach in his town, and rules were broken, whether it was intentional or not. Then there was his nephew getting a bloody nose, so I get why he wants to meet you himself. I might have asked to visit _them_ to make things even, if our situations were reversed, except I don't have any desire to go there..."

"But?" Alpha urged.

Harry removed his specs, since he had finished reading and they were giving him a headache. "It's _very_ telling that Roy has reservations." There was a general murmur of agreement.

Sarah spoke up. "Everyone at this table has lost someone close because of those two. Parents, siblings, friends..."

"My wife," Harry looked down, then straightened his posture and cleared his throat. "So, what are you getting at, Sarah?"

"If _any_ of us was forced to relive it blow by blow, I don't think we'd have much faith in the person who put us in that position. It was a _crappy_ thing to do, but I get it. And it's for that reason that I'm taking Roy's misgivings with a grain of salt."

Alpha tried to conceal her surprise.

Flint's brow beetled in confusion. "But wouldn't Roy _know_ him?"

Sarah sighed. Flint wasn't a bad sort when he wasn't going all 'Hulk smash', but he wasn't the most intelligent person seated at the table. "He's angry now, and hurt. Those things can cloud a person's judgment."

Alpha added her two cents. "Flint, when you weren't being listened to, you lost your temper. You weren't thinking clearly. Your anger got the better of you. Roy's...still figuring things out. He's reluctant to weigh in with his opinion, because he thinks it's a bit skewed."

"Hmm..." Flint drummed his thick fingers on the table. "Say we let the mayor in...I doubt he'll want to come alone. He'd want bodyguards."

Sarah blinked, and muttered, "Maybe _not_ so dumb after all..."

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

Omen, who had been washing his face, decided to take part in the conversation once more. "It's a reasonable request, so long as we can keep them from just showing up whenever they _want_ to."

Alpha nodded in agreement. "At least until we've established a rapport. And who knows? Things might yet work out. Until last year, we never thought we'd be friends with _Santa._ And that connection has been good for everyone involved."

Sarah smirked. "Except for those two shitheads and their cronies."

James folded his bony arms. "Can we tone it down on the language, please? Some of us weren't brought up in a barn."

" _You_ were resurrected from some random graveyard when a Witch decided to dabble in something she shouldn't have, so..." Sarah smirked.

"Can _I_ help that?"

Alpha interrupted. "We're going off the rails a bit. I'm _going_ to meet with the mayor; that's my choice, and it's non-negotiable. The question is, do we allow him to come _here?_ And if he feels safer with a few bodyguards, how many do we allow? So, let us put it to a vote. All in favor of allowing Mayor Kendrick to visit The Hollow, and get the measure of us?" And she raised her hand.

Harry raised his hand. Sarah and Gemma followed. Chuck, who was spending two thirds of his time at the North Pole with his new girlfriend, thought for a moment before shaking his head, "Since I'm not technically a member of The Hollow anymore, I recuse myself."

Alpha nodded, although she would have accepted his vote anyway. She still considered him to be a resident, but he _was_ spending more and more time with Holly...and she supposed it was only a matter of time before he left altogether. "That's four. Omen?"

The cat began to wash behind his left ear. "I'm busy."

Sigh. "Okay, that's two opting out, and four in favor."

"Five," James finally raised his hand. Nick and Flint were silent.

Alpha looked at them. "All opposed?"

Flint shook his misshapen head and raised a hand. "It just seems too soon to me. Sorry, Alpha."

Alpha nodded, accepting his answer. "Mm-hmm. Nick?"

Nick raised all six of his hands.

Alpha had to stifle a grin when she found herself channeling Gimli, accent and all. "That _still_ only counts as one. Then it's agreed, but not unanimous. Mayor Kendrick may visit. And I think two bodyguards is a good, even number."

"Uh-huh," Flint nodded. "Sounds good."

"Well, then, we have work to do," Gemma spoke up, taking out a list. Roy didn't tend to use cursive unless he was signing his name, and he wrote small, but his printing was very neat and legible. "Here is a list of foods Mayor Kendrick enjoys."

Nick rolled his eight eyes. "Did he demand to be fed, too?"

The Witch shook her head. "Nooo, nonono, this was _my_ idea. _I_ thought that if we made a good impression and things went well..."

Chuck cut in. "Sorry to interrupt, but from what I heard, the Fairy town isn't like Elfsburg. Just...make a good impression, yeah, but don't let your guard down. Roy's a great guy, but I'm starting to think he might be the exception, not the rule."

Alpha knew he had a point. "We're all individuals. Fairies, too. We'll give them a chance...but we'll keep our wits about us. And Flint, it is _extremely_ important that we keep our tempers. Ye ken what I'm sayin'?"

Flint grinned, showing off thick, jagged teeth. "Was that a barb...ie?"

This cracked them all up, and the meeting ended soon after. They agreed that his visit would happen on the fifteenth of that month, and it was time to set their plans in motion. On the way out, Flint put his massive arm gently around Gemma's shoulders and gave her a side-hug. "Sorry I scared ya, hon."

"It's okay," Gemma patted his bicep as she moved off to join Sarah. "You're getting better, you know. Just keep at it."

* * *

Tooth Fairy sat on Alpha's roof as he waited for her to come home. They had missed April Fool's Day, and he knew that this meeting would be stressful for her, so he had a plan; he was going to make her laugh. Or get himself in trouble. Maybe both... _probably_ both! He gripped the airhorn in his pocket, snickered to himself, then forced it back. He could see her approaching in the distance, and he flattened himself so that he lay prone and out of sight.

Lately, he'd been doing a lot of thinking about their relationship and where it was going. He knew that he loved her, and he knew that she loved him, but so far they'd just been playing it by ear. 'Winging it', so to speak. And he'd had some concerns up until the past few days.

He was mindful of the fact that his grief over Brinna and Alpha's grief over her family had been the catalyst for them getting together, and he had worried about whether or not it was a healthy way to begin 'forever'. Had they become too codependent? All that day, while he was waiting for Alpha to return to her home, he'd sat and thought very seriously about it.

He'd needed her. She'd needed him. And he thought to himself, _If we didn't_ _ **need**_ _each other, would we still_ _ **want**_ _to be with each other like we are now? If all of that was taken away...would we still be in love?_

His mind had turned to everything they'd had together besides their losses and the mutual giving and taking of comfort. And he had his answers.

There was _togetherness._ Sort of an easy, affectionate camaraderie that seemed a lot closer than any of the friendships he'd had.

While she had a bit of a dirty mind when compared to him (not that he minded it, or didn't think it was funny), their sense of humor was very similar. And then there was their mutual physical attraction (even though her attraction to him had only begun after she'd realized she loved him). There had been times when he'd found it _very_ hard to concentrate on things because of a random, unseemly thought. They _both_ loved kids. They both _loved_ puns. They had been able to work things out relatively quickly when one of them had screwed up or gotten snippy.

There was trust. There was _love._ There was kindness and respect. There was humor and silliness. And he couldn't imagine his life now without her by his side. Even if he didn't _need_ her, he would have _wanted_ to be with her.

 _But does she feel the same way about me? Am I getting ahead of myself?_

Maybe he was. But there was time to work towards that, and now he knew for sure what he wanted. He wanted to marry her.

But what _she_ wanted was also very important to him. It had to be _mutual._ And he wasn't quite ready to pour his heart out and propose. Not just yet.

Alpha unlocked her front door, went inside, and locked the door behind her. Very few people in The Hollow actually locked their doors, but it was a habit she had gotten into when she and Alexander were lucky enough to have a roof over their heads. Only in those days, it was a wooden cross bar that came down and locked into a slot on the wall, not a latch and key.

Tooth Fairy was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard the door open and shut. _Bicuspids, I was woolgathering again._ But he grinned, fluttered his wings, and lowered himself down to stand at her front door. He knocked, then quickly flew back up to the roof and hid.

Alpha opened the door, but didn't come out. "Hello?"

No answer.

She discreetly sniffed the air, then rolled her eyes. She could smell his aftershave.

 _So,_ _ **that's**_ _your little game, is it? Okay, Roy-me-boy,_ _ **two**_ _can play at_ _ **this!**_

She went back inside, and waited to see what would happen.

He frowned. She was supposed to come _out!_ He flew back down, knocked, then hid again.

Alpha opened the door again. "Hello?"

He waited for to come out.

She closed the door again.

He frowned again and his wings gave an irritated buzz. She was spoiling his prank! He tried once more, flew back up, and peeked over the edge of the roof as he waited for her to come out.

This time, Alpha _did_ come out, and she began to speak. "All right, I _know_ it's you, so-"

 _ **FWEEEEEEEEEEEEE! EEE! EEE! EEE! EEEEEEEE!**_

"D'AAAH!" Alpha nearly shot up out of her skin and her hand flew to her chest. She was laughing before he was, and she covered her face. "Och, ye're _terrible!_ "

"I'm s...I'm s...hahaha!" Tooth Fairy hugged himself as he curled in the fetal position and howled with laughter. He almost rolled off the roof.

"'Sorry', 'sorry', don't 'sorry' me." Alpha grinned and beckoned as she tried in vain to look angry. "Come doon!"

Tooth Fairy did as he was told, and they embraced. They would have kissed, but they were both laughing too hard, and they were basically propping each other up. As they wound down and went inside, she picked his pocket.

"I'm taking this," Alpha held up the air horn.

"That's fair." he chuckled.

"So, what was _that_ all about?" She set the air horn on the table and folded her arms.

Tooth Fairy replayed the moment in his mind and snickered again. He'd gotten her _good!_ "Just adding a bit of levity. Thought you could use it after today. I know it had you a little stressed out." He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek. "How'd it go?"

Alpha smiled and gently brushed the back of her hand against his face. He had shaved, but she could still feel a slight rasp from the unseen stubble, and it wasn't at all unpleasant. "It went." She sat down on her bed, and he joined her. "They've agreed to let your mayor visit, and he can bring two bodyguards of his choosing, but _only_ two."

"Oh," Tooth Fairy nodded and lowered his head, looking mildly troubled. "When?"

"The fifteenth. It'll give us time to get things set up. Make sure things are tidy, and so on." She scooted a bit closer and lightly tilted his chin up to give him a peck on the lips. "So, that's a _good_ thing. Most of them are on board."

"Most of them?"

"There were two who were opposed, and two others didn't cast a vote at all. Omen didn't have an opinion, and Chuck...well, I think he's seriously thinking about permanently moving to the North Pole to work for Santa." Alpha leaned her head against him as he put his arm around her.

"Oh? He doesn't like it here?" Tooth Fairy nuzzled her hair, taking in the vanilla scent of her shampoo.

She smiled. "More like he likes it better where his girlfriend is. It's only a matter of time."

"Mm..." Tooth Fairy could understand that very well! "I can't say I _blame_ him."

"Mm..." Alpha nestled in closer, drawing comfort from his presence. The meeting (or, rather, the anticipation leading up to it) had taken a lot more out of her than she'd thought it would. She rested her hand on his chest and sighed. "So, I haven't seen ye all day. How was your night?"

Her hand on his chest electrified him, especially when she began to trace the design on his vest, and his heart began to pound furiously. What had she just _asked_ him? "Huh?"

Alpha felt the sudden acceleration of his heartbeat through his clothes, and she sat back and looked at him in concern. "You all right?"

He tried to snap himself out of it. "Yeah, sorry...what was it you just asked me?

"I asked you how your night was..." Alpha was close enough to see how large his pupils had become, and her own heart began to pound. His scent had changed as well, and a wave of desire nearly took her breath away. The word 'pheromones' came to mind, but she pushed it away.

"Oh..." He said lamely, and _tried_ to come up with an answer, but his mind had gone blank. He wanted to remove his arm from around her shoulders, but...at the same time, he also _didn't._ "Yeah."

He had unconsciously leaned in closer so that their noses grazed against each other, and she didn't stop him. Their heads tilted, and their lips met. Her arms went around him and her hands traveled up to grip the backs of his shoulders. He made a soft, involuntary sound as he cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss, and she grazed his wings as she pulled him closer. They couldn't get close _enough._ They were in the back room of the library all over again, but they didn't have the back of Tooth Fairy's chair in between them. And there was no Robert there to be a buzzkill.

But, coming to their senses, they killed their _own_ buzz. Tooth Fairy had begun to lean forward, tilting her so that she was on her way to being on her back, when it clicked for both of them what they were about to do. They had only been dating for a few months, and while it might be right for some people to get intimate this early on or sooner, they both knew that it just wasn't for _them._ It was very important to him that they at least be engaged before doing something like this, and he still had yet to ask her where she stood on that matter. It wasn't time. They broke off the kiss with a gasp. "I can't do this," they said in unison. He rested his forehead against her shoulder, breathing hard. He added, "I'm sorry..."

"Oh, no, it was..." Alpha tried to catch her breath. "I shouldn't have...I let things get too far, and..."

"Nonono, it was _me!_ I just...I...I got carried away, and...we didn't _talk_ about it first, and I shouldn't have..." Tooth Fairy shook his head. Even though she had seemed to be into it, he hadn't checked with her before starting to make a move. He _knew_ better. How could he have _done_ that?

Alpha didn't feel at all like he had taken unwanted liberties with her, and she really wasn't upset about that. She was more upset at herself for letting things get that out of hand. "I didn't _stop_ you. And I _should_ have. You've _said_ you weren't ready, and neither am I. Not really. I should have been thinking o' that..." She shook her head. "I _wasn't_ thinking. We might _want_ it, but we're not ready for that yet..."

He lifted his head, and they made eye contact. What they saw in each other's eyes made them both certain that this wasn't a huge transgression like they'd feared...but they also knew that if they stayed in the same room for much longer they would end up resuming their previous activity and following through to its conclusion.

"I'm sorry," Tooth Fairy's voice was husky with repressed passion, and he moved away from her so that they were no longer touching. "I _want_ this. I _do._ But..."

Alpha didn't try to keep him from moving away, but it took an immense effort on her part not to reach for him. She nodded. "It's not the right time. Roy, it's _okay._ "

Tooth Fairy looked away, ashamed of his behavior. He'd been thinking of his future with her and imagining...well, never mind what he had been imagining! "I just think we should _wait_ until...or...I mean..." _We're not even_ _ **engaged**_ _yet! Roy, what the heck were you thinking?_

"Roy..." Alpha smiled gently. " _Look_ at me, please."

He did.

"You're _worth_ waiting for."

The swell of love he felt for her right then nearly floored him. It overshadowed all physical desire, and peace washed over him. It was okay. _They_ were okay. He smiled softly, began to reach for her to either hug or kiss her, or both, but there was enough lingering desire to give him pause and he thought better of it. "I should get going. Yknow, get ready for work." _And take a freezing cold shower..._

"Aye, and I should...well, there was _something_ I'd planned on doing, but it doesn't seem so important now!" Alpha chuckled.

"Heh..." He shook his head, still wearing that besotted grin. "I _love_ you, Alpha."

"I love you, too, Wintergreen. Now, get." Alpha playfully nodded towards her front door. She watched him leave from her seated position, then fell back on her bed with a sigh when she was alone.

 _ **God,**_ _I love that man..._


	32. Chapter 32: Choosing to Trust

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Preparations are made, and the pressure is on as Alpha meets with the Fairy mayor. How will she match up against thousands of years of xenophobia? Will her position on the Council of Legendary Figures be enough to sway the mayor? Robert makes a point, and Alpha has some doubts. Mayor Kendrick comes to an unpleasant realization. And, finally, Alpha learns whether or not she will be allowed to visit the Tooth Fairy at his place._

 _To get in the writing mood, I listened to 'Mystical Water Caves' from the YouTube channel Meditative Minds. Seriously, I could fall asleep to that! I was going to include the tour in this chapter, but it would have made things way too long (we're talking another 'Time In A Bottle' length chapter), so we'll see what shenanigans are in store in chapter 33!_

"Chapter 32: Choosing to Trust"

April 15th

Tooth Fairy stood in front of his bathroom mirror and tapped some aftershave onto his face. He rubbed a dime-sized amount of men's hair cream between his hands, then ran his fingers through his hair a few times before combing it back. He checked his nostrils to see if he needed to clean his nose or trim anything, but decided that everything there was fine. He brushed his teeth, flossed, and swished with mouthwash. These last three rituals were grounding for him, and he needed that.

With the exception of the last month of 2009 and the beginning of this past January, Tooth Fairy took very good care of his appearance. It wasn't that he was a vain man, because he wasn't; he simply viewed it as a courtesy to present himself well when interacting with others. No one wanted to pass a word or two with someone who consistently smelled bad or looked like they didn't groom themselves, and he _liked_ talking to people. Even on 'casual clothes days', he always made sure he was clean and well-groomed. Today was no exception, other than the added anxiety. He spent a good half hour fretting about his appearance and making sure every last hair was in place.

Today was a very special, very _nerve-wracking_ day, and it hadn't really begun yet. He would need to make a show of confidence that he wasn't sure he had. A lot was riding on whether or not the Fairies accepted Alpha! He'd already come to a decision about a possible future with her, but it would be so much simpler if there wasn't that conflict. Would he be forced to choose between her and his people one day? Because, as much as he felt like he wasn't fully accepted in the Fairy Town, they _were_ his people. There were doubts; how much of his opinion of how _they_ viewed _him_ was accurate, and how much of it was due to his own insecurities? He didn't know.

He knew what he would choose if he was forced to. He would choose Alpha. He would choose The Hollow. And even though he loved her with all his heart, it would be a bitter choice.

Tooth Fairy stifled a sour burp, then opened his medicine cabinet and popped some chewable antacids before reaching for his toothbrush again. "Should've taken those before brushing...Ah, well."

* * *

"Are all the letters straight?"

"Looks good to me." Flint grinned.

"Braw!" Alpha jumped down from the theater marquee, landing in a crouch beside him before straightening up and adjusting her ponytail. She put her hands on her hips and looked up at their handiwork. After ascertaining that it really _had_ been found and not 'found', Alpha had allowed Robert and Kyle to fix it up. They got it working again, and Flint and Alpha had just affixed it to the front of the building above the door. Alpha had just added the final letter of a welcome message for their guests, and she wasn't quite sure she was satisfied with it.

Flint dusted off his hands and adopted the same pose. "The place really _looks_ like a movie theater now."

"Aye..." Alpha rubbed her chin in thought. "I hope this isn't tacky. We _were_ going to do a banner, but...well, Robert insisted, saying this would be 'more awesome'. Now I'm not so sure..."

"Too late now," Flint shrugged. " _I_ think it looks _great!_ "

Robert, who had joined them at some point without them noticing, made them both jump when he announced, "I'm totally gonna change the wording when you're gone to 'Who's the stiff?'."

Alpha rounded on him. "If you _dare..._ "

"Relax, I'm kidding." Robert shook his teal-dyed hair out of his eyes and lit a cigarette.

"And don't ye drop the butt when you're through smoking that." Alpha added. "We've just swept the streets."

"What am I supposed to do with it, then?"

Alpha bluntly pointed to one of the garbage cans that bracketed the theater door. On top of can, built into the lid, was a dish of sand for such a purpose. "Those aren't there for decoration."

Robert merely laughed.

"You're takin' the piss, aren't ye?" Alpha folded her arms.

"If that means 'making fun of you', then yeah, but it's all good," Robert jetted smoke through his nostrils. "Just trying to lighten the mood. You got a stick so far up your butt today, I'm surprised your feet can still touch the ground!"

Flint began to laugh, then (unconvincingly) disguised it as a coughing fit. Alpha, to her credit, took Robert's point and snickered at his joke.

"Aye, I'm sorry I'm bein' a bit of a stickler today. I just _really_ want this to go well. We might be able to make an ally today."

Robert gestured with his cigarette hand, said cigarette resting in the fork of his index and middle fingers. "I'm not sure we _need_ them as an ally. It's not like we're fighting anyone. What if they end up wanting to fight _us?_ "

Damn him, he had a point! If it wasn't for this nice little mess she and Roy had gotten themselves into, none of this would be necessary. But they had, and it was, and she was stuck. "That is _why_ I want us to make a good impression. We _don't_ need a new ally. But better an ally ye don't need to call on, than an enemy who might call on _you._ "

Robert flicked his cigarette to the cobbles out of habit, then retrieved it without Alpha's prompting and disposed of it in the proper manner. "This seems more like Roy's problem than ours."

Alpha frowned. "I thought you were his friend."

"I _am._ But look, he doesn't _live_ here. He lives _there._ You're not doing this for The Hollow. You're doing it for your boyfriend, and I get it. I just don't agree with it." Robert looked serious now, no longer acting the jokester and cutting up to get a rise out of her.

Alpha was impressed, she had to admit, because his reasoning was sound and he had her pegged. Once again, she questioned whether or not she was a fit Leader for The Hollow. But this wasn't what she needed to hear right now. The decision had been made, and _why_ the hell couldn't he have spoken up before then? "We put it to a vote. The Council voted yes. It's settled."

Robert sighed and looked down at his combat boots. "Then, it's happening. I just hope you know what you're doing."

 _So do I..._

* * *

Mayor Kendrick and the entirety of the Fairy Town had gathered in and around the clearing as they waited for Alpha and Tooth Fairy to arrive. Some of the late arrivals sat in the trees, unable to find a place to stand by the time they got there. Restless children fidgeted and wished they were someplace else. The elderly were given the best seats. _Everyone_ was curious to see the Werewolf. To their knowledge, before Alpha, none of The Cursed Ones had ever set foot in their town. The magic that shielded the place from the outside world kept creatures like her out...until it didn't.

The rumor that she was a wing thief had spread like wildfire. Mayor Kendrick had already given a speech to the effect that this rumor was false until proven true, but naturally a lot of them still had their doubts. And what did this Werewolf have to do with the Tooth Fairy? Yes, she was the newest member of the Council of Legendary Figures, but that didn't explain why she would visit him at his house!

Which led to speculation over _another_ rumor, one that Aiden had started, and one that he had reinforced after her 'attack'. Was the Tooth Fairy romantically involved with a _Cursed One?_ And what would this mean for _them?_

Curiosity warred with anxiety, and their disdain for the very idea of it was almost universal. Fairies did _not_ court outside of their race! There were so few of them now, and with the exceptions of the small-winged ones and their female counterparts, the 'carriers', everyone was needed to bring forth future generations.

There were some who argued that, since Tooth Fairy _was_ one of the small-winged men, and since, as far as they knew, Fairies couldn't have children with other races, what was the harm in him finding love with an outsider? _If_ that was, in fact, the case. But many of the others were offended by the very idea, and they shut down those arguments before they could gain traction.

All in all, Aiden liked the murmurs he could catch snippets of. His bruises had faded somewhat, but he wore them with a sort of pride. He had visible proof that she had assaulted him, and with a Werewolf's rapid healing, her own face would be unmarked. He saw no reason why this shouldn't go in his favor.

"It's noon." One of Mayor Kendrick's bodyguards glanced up at the sun's position in the sky. "They should be arriving soon."

"I wonder if they'll be 'fashionably late'," the mayor said, almost to himself.

And then they sensed magic just outside of the clearing. It was Tooth Fairy's magic, and a few of them recognized it. A Fairy Ring appeared in the distance, and Tooth Fairy and Alpha stepped out of it and approached.

Alpha wore her 'bowling date' outfit, and she walked with an easy, confident stride at the Tooth Fairy's side. She was in her human form, rather to the disappointment of some of the curious children. Her face gave away none of her inner turmoil, and she kept her hands out of her pockets to prove that they were empty. She also kept some distance between herself and Tooth Fairy, so as not to arouse suspicion. Now was _not_ the time to present themselves as a couple!

Tooth Fairy was pale, but composed. In truth, he felt very sick. For centuries, he had been used to a very predictable routine; work, sleep, hygiene, fitting in three meals and a bit of recreation at some point, repeat. None of this was what he was used to, and he couldn't even reach for Alpha's hand. That would be very inappropriate in this context, and it took everything he had not to turn tail and fly.

Both of them were very conscious of the disapproving looks and whispered comments, but neither of them acknowledge this. They expected it.

Aiden glared daggers at them, but said nothing.

They entered the clearing with their heads held high, and their hearts jackhammering in their chests. Mayor Kendrick approached the center, followed by his entourage, and they met in the middle. The weather was still rather cool, but spring was well underway, and the air was thick with pollen. The birds had all gone silent as if observing from afar.

"Good afternoon, Tooth Fairy," Mayor Kendrick nodded formally, then gestured at Alpha. "And _you_ must be Alpha."

"I am, sir." Alpha extended her hand for a handshake. "And thank you for extending this invitation."

Aiden snorted with amusement. "You should address him as 'Mayor Kendrick', and you wait for _him_ to extend the hand to _you._ "

"Mayor Kendrick. I apologize." Alpha never spared Aiden a glance. It was too late for her to retract her hand, so she waited.

Mayor Kendrick accepted the handshake with a gracious smile that Tooth Fairy wasn't sure he trusted. "You can't be expected to know the way we do things here, my dear. You meant it respectfully, and I took it as such."

Alpha, who was taller than Mayor Kendrick and a good deal stronger, gave a much lighter handshake than was necessary. To her, his hand felt like it was filled with bird bones, and she was worried about breaking it. She wasn't sure she liked being called 'my dear', but she let it slide.

Tooth Fairy thought that the sheer number of guards the mayor had was just a teeny bit ludicrous. There were twenty in all. Even if Alpha felt inclined to attack, which she didn't, why would she risk doing it so openly? But he supposed it was just a precaution.

The mayor let go of Alpha's hand and gestured to the ground. "Please, have a seat."

Alpha thought he was joking at first, but then he sat down cross-legged right where he was, and the other Fairies began to follow suit. She glanced at Tooth Fairy, who gave a subtle nod and sat down himself, and she did as she was bid. Apparently, this was how meetings were held here. The grass was soft, and the sunlight was pleasant. They could almost be sitting down to a picnic lunch, except there _was_ no picnic and this was serious business.

She did not like this. Being seated, especially with Fairies sitting well above her in the trees, made her feel more vulnerable than before. But they hadn't been overtly hostile, and she pretended all was right with the world. "I understand ye have some questions for me."

"Ah, straight to the point!" the mayor wagged a finger and chuckled, but only briefly. "I've heard Aiden's testimony, and I've heard Tooth Fairy's. I would like to hear _your_ side of the story before we proceed. How did this altercation take place?"

Alpha looked at Aiden, who glanced briefly at her before looking away. "He _did_ have good cause to confront me, but I'm afraid I don't react very well when people grab me. Once again, Aiden, I apologize. I hope I didn't hurt ye too badly."

Aiden glared. "She's _lying._ "

"Peace," Mayor Kendrick held up a hand. "You've had your say. Go on, my dear."

Alpha looked over at Roy, knowing that she couldn't explain herself without talking about his sister. Brinna's death was too much a part of how Alpha had ended up with magic in the first place, and she saw no way around it. He felt her eyes on him, met her gaze, and understood. He considered saying _no._ He knew she wouldn't mention it if he didn't want her to, but like her he could see no other way. Best to just rip off the Band-Aid. He nodded and looked away.

 _I'm sorry, luv._ She took a deep breath and gestured at the Tooth Fairy. "Many of you will probably remember his sister, Brinna. And he tells me there's a rumor going around that I'm what you call a 'wing thief'." The crowd buzzed with conversation, and none of it was friendly. The mayor held up a hand again, and they fell silent. Alpha continued. "Before I joined the Council of Legendary Figures, I lived...and _still_ live...in a place called The Hollow. Two Elves, a brother and sister, had founded our town in the hopes of one day upstaging Santa Claus. Most of their magic...it came from Brinna. Against her will. Last year, when they kidnapped Santa's little boy, that crossed a final line with us and we finally rose up against them."

The crowd murmured again. They had no quarrel with Santa, and they had heard a version of that story, minus the part about Brinna's wings. There was a ring of truth to Alpha's story, and some of them found themselves believing her.

Tooth Fairy rubbed the inner corners of his eyes with a thumb and forefinger. _Not now, not now, please, not now..._

He succeeded in keeping it back.

"We discovered the truth of what happened to Brinna. And I laid her wings to rest in our cemetery."

Tooth Fairy added in a somewhat husky voice, "It was at _my_ request. She didn't want to, but...I almost lost _my_ wings that day, if it wasn't for her, and she was with me when we found Brinna's. I, uh...I kinda lost it, and she was _there._ She was the only one I trusted to do it. I _asked_ her to."

He didn't have to explain why he had to leave the wings behind. If he'd taken them, the people of The Hollow would have been trapped with no way out. That was the only reason why he wouldn't have taken them, and Julia, Mayor Kendrick's newest servant, fought back tears. She _liked_ this man who had boosted her confidence and been so nice to her, and to know that he had been forced to confront such a monstrous thing appalled her.

This was unexpected, and the crowd whispered again. They didn't take _Alpha_ at her word, but they _knew_ Tooth Fairy wasn't a liar. If he said she did these things, it was true. She was _not_ a wing thief. But she _was_ still an outsider, and they were still unsure.

Roy was visibly fighting back tears, and Alpha began to reach out to comfort her boyfriend in some way, to grasp his hand or wrap her arm around him, but restricted herself to a gentle shoulder squeeze before letting her hand drop. He glanced at her, and his mouth quirked in what was almost a smile before he looked away again. She continued, "That is how I acquired Fairy magic. When I joined the Council, Mother Nature gave me magic of my own, and gradually Brinna's magic left me. My own magic was influenced by hers, and _that_ was what Aiden sensed that day."

Tooth Fairy's input had gone a long way towards bringing the populace over to Alpha's side of things, and Aiden grew redder by the minute.

Mayor Kendrick inhaled deeply through his nose, then let out his breath in a disappointed sigh. As the younger generation would say, Aiden had really 'borked it'. "I see. Jasper, when you were posing as a human police officer, were you able to obtain the surveillance footage from the humans who run that particular theater?"

"I was," A male Fairy with large black swallowtail wings stepped forward and held out a small handheld device. His wings gave off a rainbow sheen when they caught the sunlight just so, and Alpha thought it was a rather pretty effect. But she preferred Roy's purple, pearlescent wings. They didn't really get in the way when she hugged him, and they had a nicer shape.

Jasper raised his voice to be heard by the crowd. "I got it this morning. I think Aiden will agree that it's quite interesting."

Aiden's face went from red to pale.

Jasper played the footage, which had no audio, but as the mayor watched his face fell. Any hope that Aiden had been telling the truth was quickly killed off. It was quite clear that Aiden had grabbed Alpha roughly by the face, and that she had been badly startled by this and reacted out of instinct. Her injuring him was quite obviously unintentional, and she made absolutely no move to harm his wings.

And she _let him go._

Tooth Fairy hadn't actually _seen_ Aiden put his hands on Alpha, and now when he saw the grainy image on the tiny screen his blood boiled. The murderous glare he gave Aiden didn't go unnoticed, and several of the Fairies began to whisper again.

Then the footage showed Alpha and Tooth Fairy discussing the matter, and Jasper cut it off well before the video could show them embracing and exchanging kisses. He glanced at Tooth Fairy, and nodded as if to say, _I'll keep your secret._

Tooth Fairy had no idea why Jasper would do this; they had never been enemies, but they hadn't been particularly friendly either. He nodded back, somewhat bewildered, but grateful.

"No, you must've doctored the footage," Aiden tried to weasel out of it, but to no avail.

Mayor Kendrick shook his head and said in a low voice that most of the assembled Fairies couldn't hear. "I've done you a great disservice in the way I raised you, Aiden. Nothing else can explain why you would do such a thing and then lie about it. We will speak of this later, but for now...get out of my sight."

Those who were close enough to see the screen passed the word along, and the low murmurs turned into 'boos' and hisses. Aiden quickly realized that they weren't in response to the mayor's decree, but were directed at _him._ Without another word, he fled the clearing.

"And I fear I've done both of _you_ a great disservice as well," Mayor Kendrick addressed Alpha and, especially, Tooth Fairy. "This has been very painful for you, I can tell. And for that, I am deeply sorry. I hope you can understand _why._ "

Tooth Fairy still wasn't happy about what he'd been put through, but now he believed that Mayor Kendrick was genuinely sorry. Perhaps he had judged him correctly the _first_ time. He nodded, both in forgiveness and to accept the mayor's apology. "Thank you."

"And you, my dear, I hope you can forgive us for being a little bit wary. Before you, no Werewolf has _ever_ set foot here, so you must understand, learning that you had been here without our knowledge makes us very nervous."

Alpha nodded, pleased that this meeting seemed to be going well. "Oh, I _quite_ understand. We've had similar concerns with your request to tour The Hollow."

One of the Fairy guardsmen spoke out of turn. "I thought you agreed to it."

Mayor Kendrick turned to him. "Let her speak, Sean. She has the right."

Alpha glanced appraisingly at Sean, and answered his question. "I initially only agreed to this meeting. But my City Council voted yes, so I _do_ agree to it. But there are so many of you here, and we only agreed to allow two bodyguards of his choosing, if Mayor Kendrick wishes to bring any."

"No," Sean shook his head, "That's unacceptable."

Alpha raised an eyebrow. "Those are my terms. I arrived with the Tooth Fairy, and no guards of my own. And I would estimate that there are roughly three thousand Fairies here now. You've not harmed me, and we'll extend the same courtesy. I give you my word that you'll be safe." This last was directed at Mayor Kendrick.

Tooth Fairy cut in. "And will Alpha be allowed to visit here?"

Mayor Kendrick seemed to think about it, then got to his feet. He did this by fluttering his wings and lifting himself into a standing position. The rest of them did the same, with the exception of Tooth Fairy, who got to his feet the same way Alpha had to. Mayor Kendrick cleared his throat and announced, "Now we must decide whether or not we will permit Alpha to travel freely between our homes. If your answer is yes, let's see a show of hands."

Alpha turned to see how many Fairies would vote in favor. Several hands were already up, but most were down. Then, one by one, about two thirds of the population voted yes. Those who didn't looked a little unhappy with it, but no one looked angry. She looked at Roy, who was trying not to smile.

"Then, it's settled. And you are _most_ welcome, my dear." Mayor Kendrick heartily shook her hand between both of his, and the swarm of Fairies began to disperse. "When shall we go?"

The cacophony of buzzing wings reminded Alpha of a time when she was up on the surface and a boy was riding a bicycle with a playing card attached to the wheel. This was louder, and it wasn't lost on her that she would have been in a _lot_ of danger if things had turned hostile! "Now, if ye like," Alpha hooked her thumbs in her pockets in a somewhat masculine way of standing. "Food and drink will be waiting for you, and I'll show ye around a bit. I should warn ye, though...my people have only ever seen one Fairy before."

Tooth Fairy raised a hand with a slightly cheesy smile. "That'd be me."

Alpha returned the smile, and added, "So, they'll be pretty curious."

"That's to be expected, I suppose," the mayor nodded, "And I accept your terms. I will bring Sean and Nathan with me."

Alpha had some misgivings about Sean, but the large Fairy male was back to business again and had taken his place at the mayor's side while Nathan stood at the other. Alpha turned her back in a show of trust, even though she was uncomfortable, and before Tooth Fairy could stop her she summoned a Fairy Ring.

Roy blanched. _Oops! I knew I forgot something._

So much for being businesslike; Sean's hands began to glow a muddy olive green to match his wings, and he took what could be viewed as an aggressive step forward to shield the mayor. "Magic use is _forbidden_ in the clearing!"

"Oh?" Alpha looked at Tooth Fairy, who nodded, and she gave a wincing smile. "Sorry about that. Won't happen again."

Mayor Kendrick pushed Sean's arm away. "Be still, Sean. Tooth Fairy clearly neglected to inform her. She didn't know."

Tooth Fairy turned red at the mayor's remark, but kept his anger in check. In truth, he was more embarrassed than angry. He really should have explained things better!

Alpha shook her head as they approached the Ring. "No, he did, but I misunderstood. I didn't know that _no_ magic was permitted. He told me _combat_ magic was a no-no, and I just assumed the rest. But you know what happens when you assume..."

"I _did_ phrase it badly," Tooth Fairy admitted.

Nathan, who had coffee-brown wings, cocked his head. "No, what happens when you assume?"

Alpha looked over her shoulder, trying to figure out if he was serious or not. Did he really not know? But it appeared he didn't, and she smirked. "You make an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'. It'd be funnier if I had some paper and a pen to underline it..."

Mayor Kendrick cleared his throat disapprovingly, but he looked like he was fighting a smile. Sean looked very unimpressed. Nathan just looked confused. Then, just before he followed the others into the Ring, his face lit up and he gave a sharp bark of laughter.

"I get it!" He disappeared when he stepped into the Ring, and the mushrooms retreated into the earth with a sucking sound.


	33. Chapter 33: A Busy Day

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Alpha gives Mayor Kendrick a guided tour of The Hollow. Tooth Fairy learns a few things about The Hollow that he didn't know, and he also performs a 'daring' rescue. Alpha thinks her eyes are playing tricks on her at one point. Robert and Kyle decide to mess with the guests. Mayor Kendrick makes a different sort of visit, and Tooth Fairy opts out. The mayor makes a guess at something, and tells Alpha a big secret. Alpha has an internal mini-crisis. Tooth Fairy needs a hug._

 _So, this chapter's all over the place! A lot is happening here. Trigger warning near the end of the chapter for the mention of a stillborn child. Things are getting complicated! Edited for a LOT of mistakes! There were a lot of distractions when I was proofreading, and I think I got them all. If not, please let me know!_

"Chapter 33: A Busy Day"

The little quintet appeared in front of the theater, and the temporary Fairy Ring that had gotten them there retreated back into the ground as soon as it had done its job. The marquee, which had a blinking border of orange light bulbs, immediately drew their attention. Black letters, perfectly spaced on a white-yellow background, read, 'Welcome to The Hollow!'.

Sean squinted at it, and said out of the corner of his mouth, "Wonder if _everything_ here is this tacky..."

Alpha heard Sean's remark, and her cheeks reddened as she recalled her previous worry. _Should have gone with my gut...but as Flint said, it's too late now!_ "Welcome to The Hollow, gentlemen."

Nathan was in the process of doing a slow turn on the spot, just taking in the scenery. He faced East, and red and white lampposts marked the right side of the street, while blue and white ones lined the left. When he turned to face West, there were purple and white lampposts on his right, and blue and white ones on his left. The section of street they stood on, meanwhile, had yellow and orange lampposts, and he thought the place had an almost amusement park feel to it, minus the rides and the overpriced snacks. He could almost smell the popcorn and kettlecorn! Or...was that coming from inside the theater? "Oooh...this is _neat!_ Do the colors mean anything?"

"Aye," Alpha smiled, pleased that someone had asked. She was starting to like this guy! He was nearly seven feet tall and built like a professional wrestler, with his brown hair buzzed short in a military-style crew cut, but he seemed nice enough. "Although, they used to mean a bit more than they do now. Most of the Witches lived in the green light districts. The Vampires usually kept to the red. The purple used to be where the Elves lived. Some of them chose to stay behind after last year, so a few of those houses are still inhabited, as you can see from the lighted-up windows. And the blue? Well...there are so many different kinds of people down here, so blue ended up being a sort of 'miscellaneous' color. Even back then, it wasn't a hard and fast rule, and now everyone's just used to it. The white lights are a new addition, though. It was too dark before, and surface trips were hard on the eyes. And yellow or orange lights mark the public buildings, such as warehouses or libraries. If you're new to the place, and ye want to know where to get some new troosers or a hat? Look for yellow or orange, and see what they got."

Mayor Kendrick simply said, "Oh!", as if pleasantly surprised or very interested. This could have been politeness on his part, though.

The town was bustling with people going about their daily lives, many of them rubbernecking to catch a glimpse of the 'new Fairies'. A group of children and their parents were on their way out of the theater, and Zoe's eyes lit up as she spotted Alpha and made a beeline for her. "Alpha!" She hugged Alpha tightly around the waist before looking up at her. "We saw 'The Little Mermaid', and _boy_ could she sing good! I wish I had a fish tail instead of legs, but Mommy said I can't. But I wanna be a _singer_ when I grow up! I can do _that,_ right?"

Alpha chuckled and hugged back, mindful of her guests, but unwilling to hurt the little girl's feelings by denying her. "You put in the work to learn, and I'll just bet ye can do it! But listen, luv, we have guests just now...This is Mayor Kendrick. He's visiting us today."

Rose, Zoe's mother, smiled apologetically and took her daughter's hand.

Mayor Kendrick was a little surprised to see a human-looking child with light blue skin, and he was even more surprised at the magic he could sense in her, but he smiled down at her. "Hello, my dear."

Zoe bounced on the balls of her feet, still wound up from the movie. "Hello. Why do your whiskers look like cotton candy?"

Nathan stifled a snort. Tooth Fairy bit his lip and looked away. Even Sean covered his mouth to hide his amusement. Alpha gasped and covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Mayor Kendrick just laughed heartily.

Rose, however, was appalled. " _Zoe!_ I'm _so_ sorry, sir."

Still chuckling, the mayor shook his head. "Oh, not at all. I suppose they _could_ do with a trim! How observant you are, Miss Zoe."

Rose and Zoe left, and Alpha led the group inside, where a small spread awaited them in Room C. There was a bowl of apples from the orchard, rosy and crisp. A pot of strawberry jam sat next to a plate of bagels (already sliced), and next to that was a plate of cucumber sandwiches. The Fairy bodyguards ignored the hard cider in favor of the non-alcoholic kind, and Tooth Fairy and Mayor Kendrick had water. All in all, the group enjoyed the light lunch, and Mayor Kendrick praised the cucumber sandwiches to the heavens.

When they set out to properly begin the tour, Mayor Kendrick was privately astonished by the sheer number of unusual people in the place, many of which were clearly hybrids that wouldn't be possible without the help of magic. This gave him pause, and he glanced briefly at Tooth Fairy and Alpha. He saw them exchange a look, and saw Tooth Fairy mouth, 'I think it's going well'. There was a certain 'look' that couples gave each other, and there was no mistaking it. _Oh, dear..._

Sean abruptly stood in front of Mayor Kendrick when an honest-to-goodness walking Skeleton approached. Well...he (or she?) wasn't exactly _approaching,_ more like heading in their direction, and it moved aside so as not to get in their way.

It raised a bony hand and waved. "Hey, Roy!"

"Hiya, Jimmy!" Tooth Fairy returned the wave, and the Skeleton continued on his merry way. Tooth Fairy explained, "That's James. He's on their City Council."

"I see..." Mayor Kendrick then spotted Harry, and his eyes widened. "Goodness, a _Sasquatch._ I thought they were extinct..."

Harry, whose hearing was quite excellent, made a droll face as he passed them. "Not _yet!_ We're still out there, if you know where to look."

"Oh, I beg your pardon..." Mayor Kendrick turned to watch Harry go, and blinked a few times.

"He's on the City Council, too," Tooth Fairy stifled a grin. It was fun to watch someone else react to all of this for the first time. "His hobby is making craft beer in his basement. I've never had it, but I've heard good things."

Mayor Kendrick recovered quickly and turned to Alpha. "Forgive me. I've just never seen such a variety in one place before."

Alpha laughed shortly. "Don't trouble yerself about it. My first day here, I met a Chimera and promptly fainted, so you're doing well."

Tooth Fairy snickered at that, then cleared his throat. "Sorry."

Alpha knocked her elbow lightly against his, then remembered herself and stuck her hands in her pockets.

A sudden scream caused four of them to jump and turn to look at the fifth; Nathan had caught sight of Nick, the Spider monster, who seemed to be in a hurry; he was skittering along _on all eight limbs!_ Tooth Fairy, who had only ever seen the man walk upright on two legs, couldn't suppress a shiver. Nick's limbs had an extra joint, so it made sense that he would be able to do this, but actually seeing it was a bit of a jolt!

Nick whipped around and screamed back. " _ **'Aaaaaaaaaaaah'**_ _,_ yourself! Lot of fuss over nothing..." He continued on his way, still grumbling.

Alpha patted Nathan on the arm; the Fairy, as big and burly as he was, looked like he was about to lose control of his bladder. "S'all righ', that's just Nick. Sorry about that; he's himself today."

"Ohhh..." Nick's face had gone gray, and he swayed.

" _Whoa..._ " Alpha took gentle hold of Nathan's left arm while Tooth Fairy caught the right, and between the two of them they guided the disoriented Fairy into a sitting position. "All right, laddie, sit down. Put your heid between your knees...that's right. In through your nose, and out. Keep doin' tha'. _There_ ye go. You'll be fine."

Sean snorted. " _Some_ bodyguard..."

Alpha frowned up at Sean as Nathan hovered on the edge of unconsciousness. "Haud yer wheesht; a _lot_ of people are afraid o' spiders. No shame in tha'."

"Quite right," the mayor frowned. "Sean, that remark was unworthy of you."

Tooth Fairy remembered something he'd thoughtlessly put in his jacket pocket the day before when he'd gotten the mail, and now he fished around for it. He came up with a piece of junk mail; a cardboard ad for a brand of toothpaste he didn't particularly like. He fanned Nathan's face with it, and the breeze seemed to help. "Maybe I should start carrying smelling salts with me..."

Nathan finally came out of it, and he rubbed his face. "Well, _that_ was embarrassing..."

"Och, anyone who claims tae fear nothin' is a liar. I'm sorry, I would've warned ye if it occurred to me. For us...well, Nick's just another guy. Bit of a grouch, but ultimately harmless. Just don't keep yer books past their due date, or he'll charge ye an arm and a leg. Figuratively." Alpha smiled. "Can ye stand?"

"Uh-huh."

Alpha and Tooth Fairy helped Nick to his feet, and the mortified bodyguard brushed off the seat of his pants before drawing himself up. "Mayor Kendrick, I'm sorry. A bodyguard isn't supposed to faint."

The mayor, who didn't think that bodyguards were necessary at this point, was more concerned with moving past this little incident. "It couldn't be helped. Do you need to return home?"

"No, sir."

"All right. Alpha, where to now?"

Alpha smiled. "How would you like to see the warehouses on East Mandrake?"

* * *

Alpha took the group East towards one of the green-and-white lit areas, which was where many of the Witches still chose to live. She led them into the food warehouse first, where the smell of fresh fruit greeted them. The dried foods were further back, and at the rear of the building was where they kept the meat. "We grow everything on the lower level, which we'll be skipping today."

"Why?" Asked Sean.

"Because of the compost. We send our food scraps back down, and they're turned into mulch. Gets pretty smelly there." Alpha explained. "I mean, we _could_ go there, if ye really _want_ to, but ye might toss yer cookies."

Nathan made a face. "Hard pass."

Mayor Kendrick looked impressed. "I take it you frown upon wastefulness."

"Oh, aye." Alpha nodded. "If it has a use, we use it."

"And where do you buy your seeds?"

"We don't," Alpha smiled at the mayor. "Like...All right, let's say you're slicing up a bell pepper to go with your meal. Instead of throwing away the stem with the seeds on it, we scrape the seeds onto a towel and let'm dry. Then we put them in a container or some sort, label it, and...See, look there." She pointed at a desk with a sign above it that read 'Seeds'. "We turn them in there, and they're sent back down to the gardens. The community center posts lists of the seeds we need more of, and those are the ones we save and send down. Sometimes we do it preemptively, just in case."

Mayor Kendrick nodded. "Very sensible. Mother Nature would certainly approve."

"You know her?" Alpha looked surprised.

Even Tooth Fairy stifled a smile. He wasn't laughing at her, but he sometimes forgot how little she knew about life outside of The Hollow or the few places she visited on the surface.

"Oh, yes," Mayor Kendrick replied. "She visits us from time to time, to make sure we're being good stewards to the land we've set aside for ourselves."

"Oh." Alpha smiled, not at all embarrassed. "Ye learn somethin' new every day!"

Nathan picked up an apple to look at it, then put it back. "Just picked today! This place sort of reminds me of a pint-sized version of our own market."

"Yes," Mayor Kendrick mused, "And considering we're almost directly below it, I wonder if The Hollow was once a part of it."

Alpha's ears figuratively perked at this, but she responded casually. "Who can say? It's only recently that I learned how close our homes are to each other."

Sean, who was of the opinion that The Hollow was a slum, muttered, "If it _was_ Fairy territory at one point, there must've been a good reason for abandoning it."

Alpha ignored him.

Tooth Fairy tightened his lips and looked away, but when he did he spotted something that alarmed him. Tristan, the little Goblin boy, was sitting _waaay_ at the tippy top of a shelf, some thirty feet above the hard concrete floor. The sight reminded Tooth Fairy of a kitten who managed to climb to the top of a tall tree and couldn't figure out how to get back down again.

Just as Tooth Fairy noticed Tristan, Tristan's mother shrieked. The group rushed over (well, Alpha and Tooth Fairy rushed, and the others simply followed to see what was up), and by the time they got there Tristan was picking up on his mother's distress and getting even _more_ upset.

"Someone get a forklift, or something! Tristan, _don't move,_ you hear me?"

" _Mommyyyyy!_ "

Tooth Fairy sprang into action; Tristan knew him, and so did his mother. He touched her shoulder. "I'll get him, Carla."

"Roy, thank God!"

He fluttered up to the top of the shelf and crouched down beside the cowering boy. "Hey, kiddo. Got yourself into a bit of a pickle, huh?"

Tristan nodded, wearing a pitiful pout. "I wanted to see...if I could touch...the ceiling..."

"Ah. C'mon, let's get ya back down."

Tristan shook his head and resumed crying. "I'm _scaaared!_ "

Tooth Fairy realized that if he picked Tristan up before the kid was calm enough, he'd freak out and probably start flailing in an attempt to get back to the shelf. If Tooth Fairy lost his grip when they were high enough, that would be a disaster! He had to see if he could talk him down before he could _bring_ him down. He patted the boy on the back. "That's okay. High places are scary if you can't fly. But hey, listen... _I_ can fly, and I won't let you fall. Okay?"

Tristan scooted closer, but vertigo made his vision nearly as swimmy as the tears, and he clung to the Tooth Fairy. "I want Mommy!"

"Aww, I know, buddy...Hold on tight, and I'll bring you down to her, okay?"

" _Noooo!_ " Tristan hid his face against Tooth Fairy. "I _caaaaaaaan't!_ "

"Shhh...yes, you can. I've carried people who were a lot bigger than you, and I didn't even get all that tired." He patted Tristan's back as the boy began to calm down somewhat. "I gotcha, I promise I won't let you fall."

"Mm-mmm..."

"Hey, Tristan, can you make a muscle for me?"

Tristan looked up, uncertain. His young face, green and with a slight dusting of sparse fur, was streaked with tears and creased with confusion. "Huh?"

Tooth Fairy smiled. "C'mon, show me your muscles." He demonstrated with his right arm.

Tristan cracked a tiny smile, unsure why Roy was playing games now, but it took his mind off of how high up they were, and he made a muscle.

"Wow, I bet you're _real_ strong! You gotta be, to climb all the way up here. I bet you can hold on tight enough, and I'm even stronger. I _promise,_ you won't fall. You're just gonna take a ride, like...like going down in an elevator."

"What's that?"

"Uh...Sort of a box that can travel with people in it."

" _Oh,_ like the Tardis!"

Tooth Fairy tried not to laugh. "Kinda...not really. Now, let's get you back to your mother. I want you to be _real_ brave for me and hold on tight, can you do that?"

Tristan's smile disappeared, but he nodded reluctantly and put his arms around Tooth Fairy's neck.

"Good boy," Tooth Fairy's voice was a bit strained; the kid had quite a grip! "Close your eyes, okay? You'll feel better."

Tristan squinched his eyes shut and practically squeezed off Tooth Fairy's airway.

 _Whew, finally._ Tooth Fairy fluttered back down with Tristan held securely in his arms. The boy peeked, then started crying again halfway down. "It's okay, it's okay, I gotcha...look, there's Mommy!"

Tristan spotted her just as they landed, and several onlookers cheered as he was passed over to her. " _Mommyyyyy! I wanna go hooome!_ "

"Sh-sh-sh, I know, baby, you're safe now." Carla hugged her son close, almost in tears herself. "Thank you, Roy. Thank you _so_ much! I only took my eyes off him for _a minute!_ "

 _That's all it takes._ "You're welcome, Carla." He smiled and gently ruffled Tristan's hair as the boy quieted to soft, hiccupping sobs. "Ya did great, kiddo."

"I did?"

"You better believe it!" Tooth Fairy grinned. "You're even stronger than ya look! But no more climbing shelves, right?"

Tristan and Carla both answered. "Right."

Mayor Kendrick, amused and touched by what he had just witnessed, remarked out loud, "It seems children are the same wherever you go."

Alpha beamed with pride and love, but she couldn't properly gush over how well Roy had handled a panicking child. "That's been _my_ observation. Well done, Roy."

"'Roy'?" Mayor Kendrick frowned, and a distant memory surfaced. Tooth Fairy's family had been heard calling him that, and it had actually caused a bit of a hullabaloo at school.

Tooth Fairy smiled at Alpha's compliment, but he lost his smile immediately when the mayor questioned his name. He sighed. "It's what they call me here. I _like_ it."

It almost seemed as if Tooth Fairy was daring the mayor to argue with him, but Mayor Kendrick simply said 'ah', and left it at that.

Tristan, who had only just noticed the other Fairies, turned shy and hid his face again.

Alpha thought that this would be a good time to show them the clothing warehouse, which was just across the way and a little bit smaller. Tables and clothing racks stretched from the doors to the back of the store. The employees at the tables worked quickly to fold and neaten, but just as quickly the customers picked through the stock and messed it up, hence the need for clothes folders!

"We have four of these buildings in total," Alpha explained. "They all carry clothes for children and adults, but there's a bit of variety here and there...Not everyone has the same number of limbs, or keeps them in the same place. So, it never hurts to stop at one of the others if ye didn't find what...ye wanted..."

Alpha trailed off. She thought she could see a Fairy boy, perhaps in his early or mid 'teens' (though it was hard to judge, because he seemed small for his age), hiding among a stand of hanging shirts. For a moment, she thought she saw the tip of a wing peeking over the boy's shoulder. How had he gotten _in?_ She was about to go over and investigate when the mayor got her attention and distracted her.

"I don't see any formal wear. Do you have any?"

Alpha turned her head to look at the mayor, then quickly turned back. No sign of a Fairy boy. There was no sign that there had been anyone there _at all,_ and there was nowhere he could have gone without her seeing him. Her nose didn't help her, because she was standing _with_ Fairies, and there were so many other scents that she simply couldn't go by that. Maybe in her other form she could single him out, but not as she was.

She didn't know that Fairies could make their whole bodies invisible for a time if they chose to, not just their wings, and she wasn't close enough to him to sense the magic use, otherwise she would have spoken up. She decided that her latest bout of insomnia must have messed her up more than she thought. She turned to Mayor Kendrick and cleared her throat. "Sorry, I thought I saw something. Um...we actually aren't very formal here."

Sean snorted. "I noticed."

Alpha frowned a bit. "But yes, if we head back and to the left, there are some things that could probably be worn at a formal event. Y'see, clothes are a little harder to come by than food. The Spiders are generally in charge of textiles. They're said to have descended from Arachne herself, but...The Founders lied to us a lot, and even the Spiders don't know for sure. At any rate, they can only produce so much silk at once, and then they have to weave it into fabric, which some of the witches make into clothing."

Sean picked up a men's necktie and read the tag. "This says it's rayon, not silk."

Alpha took a breath to steady her temper as Tooth Fairy frowned; Sean was really starting to annoy her. "Aye, so it is. Some of us can pass for human, and we visit a lot of thrift stores and swap meets."

The mayor nodded, fascinated to learn how this odd culture worked. "And how do you get the funds to do so? I saw people here paying for their items with curious little wooden discs."

"Occasionally on the surface, we'll find something valuable that someone dropped, and we usually pawn those items. And when we raided The Founders' mansion, we found a _lot_ of things to pawn."

Sean wasn't impressed. "And when the money from that runs out?"

"We'll manage."

"And suppose you pawned someone's wedding ring?" Sean pointed out.

Well, he _did_ have a point. "We actually turn those in when we find them. Or if it's an engraved piece. But it isn't always jewelry. And not to be heartless, but for a long time it was all about surviving. Our gardens are doing extremely well _now,_ but we've had a few years of famine, when we mostly lived off the meat our hunters brought down. It's a shame if someone lost something special, but if there's no way to get it back to them...they might actually have some luck checking the pawn shops for their items." Alpha didn't meet Tooth Fairy's gaze when she said that. This was sometimes a source of guilt for her. Once or twice, she had come very close to pawning her own locket; the one Alexander had given her, containing a lock of her daughter's hair and a button from her son's shirt.

Tooth Fairy could see both sides of the argument. Certain things had sentimental value, and the nice thing to do would be to return them if possible. But having seen Alpha literally starve herself so that others could eat when their food was running out, he nodded. "We've never had to worry about where our next meal was coming from. You don't have to explain, Alpha."

Alpha smiled, but her attention was then drawn by Nathan, who was trying on a pair of soft, deer-leather winter gloves. "Oh, ye like those?"

"Just trying them on." Nathan took them off, looking embarrassed. He didn't have any wooden discs to pay with.

Alpha could see that he wanted those gloves, and she smiled again. "Well...do ye have something small that you're willing to part with?"

Nathan thought about it, and removed his pinkie ring. "I keep losing it, so I might as well get rid of it."

Sean looked at the ring. It was a _nice_ ring, worth more than the gloves. "You could always get it resized."

"Nah. I don't like it very much anyway, and my winter gloves wore out." Nathan held out the ring.

Seeing that it was silver, Alpha clasped her hands behind her back. "All right. But here, why don't ye just hand it over to the cashier on the way out?"

Nathan was confused. "Something wrong?"

Alpha grinned. "Werewolf. Silver. Burnie-burnie."

Tooth Fairy chuffed softly through his nose and hid a smile. _I_ _ **love**_ _this goofball!_

" _Oh!_ " Nathan laughed and claimed the gloves. An hour later, on the way out, he dutifully paid the cashier and began to walk away.

"Oh, sir, wait, your change!" The woman, a bubblegum-pink Witch wearing the stereotypical pointed hat, called after him.

"Change?" Nathan turned back.

She came around the counter with her hands cupped in front of her, and they were full of wooden discs.

Nathan smiled and waved it away. "I'm not from around here, Miss. Keep it."

"We're not supposed to..." She looked at Alpha, who nodded and gestured for her to go ahead, and she smiled. " _Thank_ you, sir! And have a blessed day!"

"You, too!" Nathan walked out with the others, and said to Sean, "Everyone's so _nice_ here."

"I think it's an act."

Alpha, who had finally had enough, said over her shoulder as she walked. "It's called 'hospitality'. It's what you do when you have guests."

That shut him up.

They made their way back to the theater, and Alpha spotted Robert and Kyle sitting on top of the theater marquee with their legs dangling in front of the welcome message. "Oi! Get down from there! You'll have that thing off, and it could land on somebody!"

"Come up and get us," Kyle grinned. "We'll fly away before you make it, though."

"Still got that stick, huh?" Robert high-fived Kyle.

"Ohhh, snap!"

Alpha felt her face growing hot. "Robert, Kyle, Ah _warned_ ye about this. Get doon off the bloody marquee and _behave_ yerselves!"

"Hahahaha, _'bloody!'_ " Robert hooted.

"You're making us thirsty!"

They laughed again, but obediently jumped down and approached. Robert lit up a cigarette. "Smoke, Mayor?"

"No, thank you," Mayor Kendrick said stiffly. "I prefer a pipe."

Sean and Nathan subtly maneuvered themselves between the Vampires and the mayor, and all traces of friendliness were gone from Nathan's face.

Kyle lost his grin and tapped Robert's arm. "Pull it back, Rob. They're getting pissed."

Robert held up his hands. "Oookay, okay. Just testin' ya. You didn't fly after us to do whatever, so I guess you passed."

Alpha resisted the powerful impulse to knock their heads together. "Why would they do somethin' so stupid? Honestly..." To the Fairies, other than Roy, who had his hand over his eyes and was shaking his head, she apologized. "Sorry, these two are always takin' the mickey, but they're pretty harmless. _Her,_ on the other hand..." Alpha smirked and pointed at Sarah, who was sidling up behind Robert and Kyle with a vicious smile.

Robert and Kyle looked at each other, and horror dawned on their faces when they heard Sarah cracking her knuckles. " _WHOACRAP!_ " They turned into bats and flew off before Sarah could do more than that.

Sarah dusted off her hands. "Works every time. Those two, they got bit when they were still in 'party mode', and they never quite grew out of it."

"So I see," Mayor Kendrick replied in a friendly-ish voice. "And you are?"

"Sarah. And you must be Mayor Kendrick."

Alpha clapped Sarah on the shoulder. "Sarah here's my second in command, and generally keeps the peace around here when I'm busy with other things."

"I used to be a cop, you see," Sarah explained. "I guess I never quite grew out of _that,_ either."

"Ah, how interesting! Forgive me, but I would've thought Vampires and Werewolves would be enemies."

Sarah chuckled. "You watch too much TV."

"I actually don't own a television." Mayor Kendrick smiled. "But I'm pleased to meet you."

Alpha was relieved that Sarah had shown up to help her smooth things over. "Some of us clash occasionally, but it's more a personality thing than a Vampire/Werewolf thing."

Sarah flashed her fangs when she laughed. "Like the time when Robert made off with your clothes while you were swimming?"

Tooth Fairy went wide-eyed, and purple light half-blinded them as his hands began to glow. "He _what?_ "

"Aye...that." Alpha met Tooth Fairy's eyes and gave her head a little shake before briskly changing the subject. "Well! What would ye like to see now?"

Tooth Fairy tucked his hands in his pockets. This was not the time to get angry!

The other Fairies were a little surprise at his reaction, but they brushed it off when he seemed to quickly get over it. Perhaps he was just surprised. It _was_ an inappropriate joke to play, and they knew Alpha was his friend.

Mayor Kendrick cleared his throat. "Most of this seems to be residential areas, but I didn't see a school. How do your children receive their education?"

"Oh, we have a school. In fact, it's right across the street from the theater. Which, incidentally, doubles as our community center. We also have two libraries, one for children and one for adults. Why they were never combined into one, I don't know. But everyone likes where they are now, so that's where they stay."

"Oh, that's good to hear. But I wonder if your curriculum is current..."

 _I'm not sure why he needs to know this. But I suppose there's no harm in telling him._ "By human standards...and by Fairy standards...probably not. The Hollow is a much smaller pond, and there's never been a need or an opportunity to branch out. They learn the basics, though; reading, math, human history...so as not to repeat their mistakes. Many of the Witches go on to learn alchemy and study herb lore. They tend to be our 'doctors', for lack of a better word. We're still a work in progress, to be honest."

Mayor Kendrick wanted to know about the Witches in particular, and Alpha gave him a short version of the same story she gave Tooth Fairy.

Mayor Kendrick nodded thoughtfully. _So, this is where they went...and they don't even know what they are. It's just as well that they never find out._ He followed along behind Alpha and Tooth Fairy, with his bodyguards walking on either side of him. He didn't miss Alpha and Tooth Fairy exchange a little smile, one that hinted at something other than the platonic, and this saddened him. _I fear for you, children. Aiden will be a bitter enemy. Perhaps it would be best if..._

Alpha looked back, and she noticed how pensive the old Fairy gentleman was. "You all right, sir?"

"Hm? Oh! Yes, I'm fine. You've given me a lot to think about. But now, there's just one last thing I would like to see, if you don't mind."

"Yes?"

"I would like to see the cemetery."

Tooth Fairy turned white and his stomach felt like it had simultaneously clenched and frozen over. "Uh..."

Mayor Kendrick got a good look at his face as they stood underneath one of the blue street lamps, and a realization struck him. "Oh...you haven't visited yet..."

Tooth Fairy shook his head and took a step back to let them pass. "You go. I'll wait for you here."

There was an awkward moment where no one spoke, and Alpha very nearly blew their cover, but she resisted the urge to hug him. She nodded gently. "Aye..." To the others, she said more briskly, "Come on, then. I'll show ye where it is."

Tooth Fairy watched them leave, and he nearly jumped when Sarah gave his shoulder a brisk pat before going off to resume her patrol. He spotted a bench just outside the theater, and he sat down with a sigh and put his head in his hands.

"Roy?"

Tooth Fairy looked up, and the faint odor of roast pumpkin met his nostrils before he even saw the speaker. "Punky? I thought you'd be at work."

"Nope," Punky hooked his wooden thumbs in his suspenders. "Business is poor today, so I closed up shop."

"Oh. Is that unusual?"

"Well, everyone's curious. They all want to catch a glimpse of the newbies, see what kind of impression we're making." Punky sat down beside him, his wooden limbs giving a muffled clatter. "You got that look I seen a hundred times in my bar. You all right?"

Tooth Fairy heaved a deep sigh. "No, not really. But I don't wanna talk about it."

"Okay," Punky replied, then after a beat, he asked, "Wanna be alone?"

Tooth Fairy shrugged. "You can stay if you want. I just don't feel like talking."

"Then we won't." Punky fell silent and sat looking straight ahead.

Tooth Fairy appreciated that. Talking about it wouldn't help him right now, and he didn't have it in him to make small talk. But having a friend just sit there with him while he felt so lousy? Having someone just _be_ there? He still hurt, but at least he didn't feel alone while Alpha was stuck showing her guests around. After a few minutes, he almost smiled. "Thanks, Punky. You're a real pal."

"Bah...I'm just sitting here. But if you ever wanna vent later, just belly up to the bar and bend my nonexistent ear." He grinned his jack-o-lantern grin.

"Heh...sure thing."

* * *

Brinna's grave was near the back of the cemetery, marked by a small, rectangular, flat sandstone slab, which Alpha had placed so that it was level with the ground. There was a simple design on the stone; a mosaic in the shape of a purple butterfly. Someone must have had access to a rock tumbler and amethyst chips, because the stones were just as smooth as polished glass. It was a pretty design, but not flashy or obtrusive. It was something many people would simply admire in passing before moving on.

 _A fitting monument for such a gentle soul._ Mayor Kendrick stood at the grave, with Alpha and the other two Fairies standing a respectful distance away. He was lost in memory, thinking back on the girl he had watched grow from a scrappy but sweet child into a kind young woman, and his mouth tightened. He knelt down and rested a hand on the butterfly design. _If this is painful for me, I can't even imagine what her brother must be feeling now. And I fear I've made it worse._

Mayor Kendrick brushed away a tear, then stood up and cleared his throat. "Sean, Nathan, I don't believe I am in need of bodyguards just now. I would like you both to return home."

Sean did not like that. "Sir, I protest!"

"I need to speak with Alpha. Alone."

Nathan stepped in. "Sean...I'm sure it's fine. If they wanted to hurt him, they could've done it by now, and we wouldn't have been able to stop them. Not just the two of us."

Alpha said, "A Ring will take you back, but it'll be a one-way ring until we're all more comfortable with each other. All you have to do is-"

"We _know_ how our own Rings work." Sean interrupted her.

"I was going to say, all you have to do is head in that direction, and you'll find one," Alpha pointed.

Nathan nudged Sean's arm and said to Alpha, "Thank you for the tour. And the gloves! Let's go, Sean."

Sean left without a word, and Alpha returned Nathan's friendly wave. She would be happy to host _him_ again, but Sean was another story. Maybe it was just how he reacted to outsiders, but in general, the man seemed to be a right prick!

When they were alone, Mayor Kendrick turned to Alpha. "The Tooth Fairy has had a hard life, you know."

Alpha nodded, suddenly wary. "He prefers to be called 'Roy'. And I know...He's told me about some of it."

"Yes...yes, I suppose he would have." Mayor Kendrick stroked his cheek whiskers in thought, and sighed. "I'll be honest with you, Alpha. It is not as if I _disapprove_ of you, either as a person, or as a love interest for...Roy." The name didn't come naturally to him, after so many centuries of habit. "But if you pursue this relationship...I'm afraid you're both in for some hard times."

Alpha's stomach dropped. She'd thought they were being a lot more discreet than that!

Seeing her look, Mayor Kendrick smiled gently. "Honestly, if it wasn't for the rumor my nephew started, I wouldn't even have noticed."

"We weren't _looking_ for it, it just happened..." Alpha shook her head. "And I don't understand why it matters. He told me that Fairy men with wings like his usually don't marry or have children. And he said we _can't_ have children together in any case, so how does it-"

"He told you what _he's_ been told, what they're _all_ told." The mayor lowered his voice. "Wing thieves weren't the only thing that caused us to isolate ourselves from the human world. Our race wasn't just dying out...it was being _bred_ out. Our women are comely, and our men are handsome. For the most part. And the same is true for humans, despite their lack of wings. That is why courting outside of our race is so taboo. You _saw_ how few of us there are. As a community leader...surely, you understand why such knowledge would be dangerous."

Alpha slowly shook her head as the color drained from her face. "No, sir, I _don't_ understand it. Not really. I think grown people should be able and allowed to make _informed choices._ So many of the best people I've ever met were of mixed descent. We've got _all_ kinds here, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Ye love who ye love, and that's it. And what of the children of those human/Fairy unions? What happened to them? Did they deserve to be punished for the circumstances of their birth? Children are _children!_ They don't _ask_ to be here! _We_ put them here."

He nodded sadly. "I agree; it's not the children's fault. But I can't protect the two of you if you're found out. Any children you might have would be subjected to _unprecedented_ cruelty by their peers, and I would be just as powerless to stop it as you."

" _'_ _Powerless?'_ " Alpha felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, her human form's version of raised hackles. "Let anyone harm a child o' mine, and they'll learn the truth o' what fear _really_ means!" Mayor Kendrick took a step back and held up his hands, and Alpha realized she'd scared him. "...I'm sorry. But it's a moot point. I have conscious control over whether or not I conceive, and...I don't want to get pregnant again. Even if I tried for _his_ sake, my body would know what my mind really wants. I don't think it's possible, even though it's 'possible'."

Mayor Kendrick saw an opportunity, and he loathed himself for exploiting it. "Then why tell him?"

Alpha closed her mouth. Keep a secret from Roy? A secret like _this?_

He _wanted_ children. He'd mentioned to her how much he wished it could be a possibility somewhere down the line, and she had privately been relieved that it wasn't. She didn't want to have that argument with him. She'd had it once before, with her second mate.

Gerald had been bitter about it, and their relationship had suffered because of it. Alpha wasn't even sure they would have lasted, had he survived long enough. An accident on the lower level had claimed his life, and the lives of three others.

And Brian had been her mate in name only; theirs had been an affair of the heart, and he'd had absolutely zero interest in sex. He had tried it for _her_ sake before she even knew of this, but he just _couldn't,_ and she'd called a halt. The truth came out, and he'd wept with shame. And she'd cried with him, held him, and told him it didn't matter to her if they _never_ made love, as long as she could just _be_ with him. It had been a bit frustrating for her at times, but she'd respected his boundaries, and they had made it work. And she hadn't had to worry about having the 'children argument'.

The pain of childbirth, seemingly without end...Her daughter's tiny body, lying motionless in her arms, and all _she_ could do was wail and scream while Alexander held them both and wept...Her second pregnancy, because they still _wanted_ a child; nine months of aching terror and crippling morning sickness (Pearl called the condition 'hyperemesis gravidarum') that left her weak and frail, and a long labor where she'd cried and begged God not to take her baby again...

And the abject _cruelty_ of being allowed to _keep_ her boy, only to lose him _and_ her mate five years later.

Alpha shook herself. She nodded at Mayor Kendrick, seemingly agreeing to keep this knowledge to herself.

But she owed Roy the truth. _He_ had the right to make an informed choice, and she...well, she would give him the option of doing so, even if this turned out to be a deal-breaker for him. She would tell him, when the time was right. And _then_ what? The ball would be in his court. _Every time I think we might be able to catch a break..._

* * *

When Alpha returned to the spot where she'd left Tooth Fairy, she found him sitting on a bench beside Punky, and it seemed the conversation had turned to sports.

"No," Punky said, "I lost interest in football when Robert tried to use my head as the ball."

"Heh...Alpha! Hey...where are the others?" Tooth Fairy stood up and went to greet her.

"They went home," Alpha hugged him, and they exchanged a long kiss; they'd been holding that in all day! Punky got up and began to leave, but Alpha snagged his arm. "Hey, where do ye think _you're_ going?"

Punky returned the hug, then pretended to sulk. "I'm a little offended you and your guests didn't swing by The Pale Horse. I serve the best corn nuts in town!"

"You serve the _only_ corn nuts in town!" Alpha kissed his orange cheek. "Sorry. I'd planned to, but they cut their visit short. The mayor wanted to talk to me in private, then he decided to head home for supper."

Tooth Fairy nodded. "That man's like clockwork with his meals. Always was."

"Well," Punky pointed in a direction, "I might as well reopen the bar, then. Remember what I said, Roy."

"Yep."

Alpha watched Punky go, then asked, "What'd he say?"

But instead of answering, Tooth Fairy hugged her again and closed his eyes.

Alpha recognized this type of hug, and she returned it, understanding his need to be held in silence. It was a bit public, but in The Hollow, where so much tragedy had happened, nobody gawked at him. A few concerned people glanced their way, then went about their business when they saw that Alpha was handling it.

Tooth Fairy sighed and stepped back. "I just want to go to sleep...but I have to get ready for work soon."

Alpha nodded, wiping his cheeks with her thumbs.

Tooth Fairy realized that his cheeks were wet; he hadn't even noticed! He quickly dried his face. "Sorry..."

Alpha shook her head. "We've talked about tha', luv. You can cry if you need to."

Tooth Fairy smirked, wanting to cheer himself up and ease her worries. It was too public for this. "Who's crying? It's those dang onion-chopping ninjas."

"Aye...Come to my place, and we can have dinner."

"I'm really not hungry. I'll just pack a snack and eat on the fly."

Alpha nodded. "All right...Do ye want to come over anyway?"

He hesitated. He _sort_ of wanted to take her up on her offer, but if he did that, he probably _would_ break down. The other Fairies all _knew_ about Brinna now. And the mayor... _the mayor,_ who had been on his ish list for the past week or so...had visited Brinna's grave before her own _brother_ could get up the nerve to visit himself. If he started crying now, he just knew that it would end up being a sob-a-thon, and he simply didn't have time for that.

And just because he felt _comfortable_ crying in front of her now, that didn't mean he _liked_ crying! It reminded him of the few times his magic was in flux. Vomiting was unpleasant, but it was _comforting_ to have someone sit with him while he went through it and lay a cool cloth on his forehead. Okay, now he _really_ needed to distract himself. "Yknow, I'm gonna take a rain check, if that's okay. I just wanna grab a shower and not think for a while."

Alpha nodded. "Whatever ye need to do, luv."

Tooth Fairy kissed her and began to leave, paused, then turned back. "Can I call you when I get home from work?"

Alpha smiled gently. "You _know_ you can. I love you."

His eyes stung again, but he smiled. "I love you, too.


	34. Chapter 34: Critical Meltdown

"A Strange Bond'

 _Note:_ _What happens when a private man's personal tragedy is suddenly known by his entire town, and he's bombarded with sympathy cards, gift baskets and casseroles? What happens when he thinks back on the centuries of being ignored and dismissed? About his sister's disappearance being forgotten? And then compares it to the sudden outpouring he's receiving now, when it's far too late? He_ _ **snaps,**_ _that's what. Alpha has to talk him down, and she and Father Time give him the option of taking a much-needed break. (Another chapter name could be 'Time In A Bottle, Part II'.)_

 _Mental health is a subject that I think shouldn't be ignored or stigmatized, and having dealt with my own issues over the years, the last thing I want to do is trigger anyone. It's no secret by now that TF is dealing with a bout of mental illness after a crushing loss, and this story is as much about his journey back to wellness as it is about him finding love. He suffers a severe emotional breakdown in this chapter, and if you find that this would be upsetting for you...well, you know the drill by now. Might be a bit OOC, except...the movies never showed him in such a situation, and I'm going for a bit of realism here. Based on his personality traits in the movie, the history I've given him, and a couple other roles his actor Art LaFleur played that involved angry/emotional outbursts, I thought, 'How would he react if such-and-such happened?'. So, I came up with this. Rated T for TF swearing! **Edit:** Additional content at the end. _

"Chapter 34: Critical Meltdown"

April 16th

A light sprinkling of rain was falling when Tooth Fairy arrived home to find gift baskets (seven of them, in all) sitting directly outside of his front door. "What in the world...?"

They _had_ to be for someone else. Someone must have delivered them to his house by mistake.

He saw a tag tied to the handle of one of the baskets, and he turned it so that he could read the message. "Huh? 'To the Tooth Fairy. Our deepest sympathies. Best regards, Charles and Susan.' Who the heck are Charles and Susan?"

He read the other tags, and sure enough, they were all for him!

Under other circumstances, he probably would have been touched. Really, it was nice of these people to reach out to him at all.

But instead, he felt very uncomfortable. He didn't even _know_ most of these people! Mayor Kendrick had sent one of the baskets; it was by far the largest one, and there was a bottle of red wine nestled among the expensive cheese, crackers, cookies and fruit. He recognized the bottle as being the same kind as the one Marcy had served at dinner that night. A wave of nausea swept over him. _They know. They all_ _ **know!**_ _People I don't know from Adam know my sister is dead...They're sending me these things, and I can't even bring myself to visit her grave!_

He considered leaving the baskets outside and pretending they weren't there, but that would be rude and people would know. He turned around, saw Fairies flying off to their own jobs, and every single one he saw made eye contact with him. They were _looking_ at him. One of them waved; he automatically waved back.

A woman flying beside a man (he was unclear if it was her boyfriend, her husband, or just someone she knew) pointed at him in what she probably thought was a discreet manner, and the look of pity on her face was hard to take.

His ribcage tightened, and he took a few deep breaths before trying to go inside. Something rustled on the other side, and it took more of an effort to open his door than it should have. He gave an extra push, and he soon realized what was causing the trouble. Envelopes of every possible color had been pushed through the mail slot, and several of them had gotten wedged under the door as he opened it.

Tooth Fairy nudged aside the envelopes with his foot, brought in the gift baskets, and locked the door behind him. _There must be over a hundred cards here..._

He nudged the envelopes back into a heap in front of his door, sort of a half-hearted effort to tidy up a bit. _But when Brinna disappeared, I never heard a peep._

What was he feeling?

The only word he could come up with was 'bad', and that wasn't very specific.

"I can't deal with this now..." Tooth Fairy shook his head and removed his damp coat and hat. As he hung them up, the mail slot squeaked and another card dropped in. He retreated upstairs to shower and put on his pajamas. He wanted to shave too, but his hands were shaking, and he even checked his wings in the bathroom mirror to make sure they weren't glowing.

No, his magic wasn't going into Flux. He put his shaving supplies away again and went back downstairs. Before he had reached the bottom of his staircase, his mail slot squeaked again and more cards dropped to the floor.

He retrieved his cell phone from his coat pocket, sat down on the couch, and called Alpha.

"Hey, luv."

"Hi, Alpha." Tooth Fairy flinched at yet another metallic squeak. "Can you come over?"

There was the soft rustling of fabric, and the creaking of bedsprings. "Aye, let me get dressed."

"Oh, you were in bed?" Tooth Fairy now felt even worse. "I'm sorry, I...Never mind, we can talk later. G'night, Alpha."

"Nonsense, I-"

He disconnected the call and put his head in his hands. _Of course she's in bed! She changed her sleep schedule, and this is around the time I usually go to bed. Where is my brain?_

 _ **Squeak!**_

 _What am I gonna do with all this_ _ **fruit?**_

 _ **Squeak!**_

 _Aiden started all this...the little..._

 _ **Knock-knock-knock!**_

Tooth Fairy wasn't going to answer, but then he saw the mail slot open and stay open. Someone was looking _into his house!_

 _You gotta be flossing kidding me!_

Tooth Fairy got up and opened the door, ready to give them a piece of his mind, when he saw it was a little old lady and her young granddaughter. It had been the child who had peeked, and the wind immediately went out of his sails; he supposed he could give her a pass for _that._ Kids were nosy. The old lady held a covered Pyrex dish in her gnarled hands. "Uh...hi?"

"Hi. I don't know if you remember me, but my name is Judith, and my husband is your tailor. This is my granddaughter, Ainslee. I just wanted to drop off this casserole." Judith held it out.

"Oh...Thanks, but...I don't understand..." He reluctantly took it.

"We were _so_ very sorry to hear about your sister, Tooth Fairy." Judith patted his hand as she transferred the dish to him, and in the same motion lowered her granddaughter's hand as the child began to pick her nose. "I can see you're on your way to bed, so we'll be on our way."

"Thanks. Uh...bye."

"Goodbye."

 _When Brinna disappeared, no one did_ _ **anything**_ _like this..._

He shut the door and wondered if he was in a waking nightmare. He went into his kitchen and put the casserole in his freezer, and when he came back out again he sensed magic in his living room. A Fairy Ring comprised of orange mushrooms, Alpha's magical calling card, appeared in front of him. A moment later, Alpha stood in his living room.

"Alpha...You didn't have to..." Tooth Fairy realized something. "Oh, I _hung up_ on you, didn't I? I'm sorry!"

Alpha waved that off and came over to hug him. "I got the feelin' it wasn't on purpose. What's up? Ye sounded odd on the phone."

Tooth Fairy wordlessly pointed behind her, and she turned to look at the cards and baskets.

"What's all this, then?" Alpha moved closer to look, but didn't touch them. She turned back to her boyfriend, and simultaneously heard the squeak of the mail slot and saw him wince as if it caused him physical pain. It certainly caused her _ears_ pain! That was worse than nails on a chalk board!

"These got dropped off this morning, and they're still coming. And my tailor's wife just dropped off a casserole." Tooth Fairy went and sat down on his couch.

"Oh...That was nice of them," Alpha went over and sat down beside him. He was wearing gray pajamas today, and they seemed to reflect his mood.

"Yeah..." Tooth Fairy rubbed his temples. "And I _hate_ it..."

Alpha didn't scold him for not appreciating a kind gesture. She wasn't here to judge him, and she could see that his privacy had been breached. He felt exposed. _Intruded_ upon. And maybe something more, because she had never seen him agitated in quite this way before. He couldn't seem to be still. He fidgeted every now and then, like he had an itch between his wings, and his attention seemed to be all over the place. She sighed and took his hand. "I'm _sorry_ I told them, luv..."

He nodded. "I am too, but it's not _you._ I gave you permission. I just wish it hadn't been _necessary._ "

"Aye..." Alpha looked at the cards, then ventured to ask, "Are ye going to read them?"

Tooth Fairy shrugged. "I know I _should,_ but I just..."

Alpha waited, but he didn't finish. She let go of his hand and put her arm around him. "Tell me, luv..."

Tooth Fairy shook his head. "I can't. I can't even _look_ at them."

 _ **Squeak!**_

Tooth Fairy clapped his hands over his ears and growled, then got up and stalked down to his basement without a word. He came back with an oilcan like a man on a mission. He parted the drapes a bit with his index finger and peeked out the window to make sure no one was on his porch; he didn't want to get pinched if the slot went up again. He oiled the mail slot's hinges, then straightened up again. He saw Alpha watching him, and it occurred to him that she hadn't followed him or asked any questions.

He had rudely _left_ her there. He lowered his eyes and put the oilcan on the coffee table as he reclaimed his seat. "Sorry, that was driving me crazy..."

"Aye," Alpha stifled a yawn against her fist. "Hurt me ears, too."

He saw the yawn, and guilt set in. "Go home to bed, Alpha. I'm okay."

Alpha frowned and gently turned his face towards her with a hand to his cheek. She shook her head. "No, you're not..."

"Well, I _will_ be..." He put his hand over hers, holding it to his cheek, then kissed her. "Look, we're _both_ tired. I'll call you at around three, okay?"

There was a soft 'plop' of cards falling on top of the existing pile, but no infernal hinge squeak, and no flinch from him.

"Okay," Alpha kissed him again, and they parted ways for the time being.

* * *

Later that day, Alpha and Tooth Fairy sat in his living room again. He was freshly shaven, now that the shakes had gone away, but he didn't look very well rested.

 _Has he even slept at all?_ Alpha wondered.

None of the cards had been opened, and the fruit in the gift baskets filled the air with a light, sweet scent. It made him feel ill.

None of the food had been touched, and Alpha wasn't surprised by this.

Tooth Fairy was more keyed up than ever, and he couldn't seem to sit down for very long. He paced his living room, giving one-word answers to most of her questions, and winding his floss like mad. More casseroles had arrived since she'd gotten there, and each new arrival seem to make things worse.

"Why don't ye put the cards away for now?" Alpha suggested during one of his breaks in pacing when he sat down beside her, "You could get some boxes or plastic totes, and store 'em out of sight until you're ready to go through 'em."

Tooth Fairy was pulling at a thread on the hem of his pants without realizing it, and the fabric was beginning to pucker. His sock had slipped down a tiny bit, showing about an inch of his leg before he realized and primly tugged his sock back into place. "And if I'm _never_ ready?"

Alpha saw this, and she noticed in passing that he was a pretty hairy guy. Granted, she had seen him shirtless before, but at the time she had been more concerned with the fact that he'd been unconscious! She pursed her lips in thought at his question. She could easily understand why he wanted to run away from this, but running away from things didn't make them go away. "It's your choice, luv...I can't tell ye what to do. But can I suggest something?"

He nodded.

She didn't like the unfocused look in his eyes.

"Put them _away_ for now, but revisit them in a week. See if you're ready. If not, put'm away again and try in another week."

Tooth Fairy shrugged, but he was considering it. "Has merit...I have some empty totes in my basement. I'll bring 'em up."

Between the two of them, they filled _three_ totes with unopened sympathy cards. They had to cram the lids on tight, and just as the third one clicked into place there was a knock at his door.

Tooth Fairy got up and peeked through the drapes. Then, when he realized he'd been spotted, he muttered a g-rated curse and opened the door just enough to let himself through and closed it behind him. The last person to drop off a casserole, a matronly woman whom Alpha had dubbed 'Nosy Nelly' after she left, had invited herself in and made awkward small talk with him and Alpha before finally taking the hint that now was _not_ a good time, and he wanted to avoid a repeat of that. He came back a few moments later with a casserole in his hands. "There's no more room in my freezer..."

"How many is that, now?"

"Eight."

"Wow." Alpha deadpanned, following him into his kitchen. "Smells good, though."

"Yeah, it's baked ziti, I think..." Tooth Fairy turned back to her. "You want it? You can have it."

"What?" She shook her head. "No, it's _yours._ "

"Well, what about the gift baskets? I can't eat all this before it goes bad." He stuffed the casserole into his fridge after moving a few things around to make room.

"Roy..." Alpha didn't feel right taking them when they were meant for him, and right now she cared not a _jot_ about food. "Forget about the food for now, okay?"

Tooth Fairy wished he _could_ forget about it! There was another knock at the door, and he covered his ears and clenched his teeth.

Some instinct told Alpha that touching him _now_ would be a _very_ bad idea. The knocking eventually stopped, and she waited for him to lower his hands before speaking to him again. "Okay...you're feelin' some kind of way about all this. Can ye tell me what you're thinking?"

"I don't _know..._ " Tooth Fairy shrugged helplessly, and that was the truth. This being unable to identify what he was feeling; he called it 'guy brain'. He _wanted_ to tell her exactly what was wrong, but he wasn't even sure himself. All he knew was that his chest felt tight, and he just wanted to _hit_ something. He felt like he was ready to crawl out of his skin, or cave in on himself, or _something,_ and he didn't know what he wanted. He only knew that there wasn't enough air to breathe, and he didn't want these... _things._ Finally, he just started talking. "Listen...I don't want to seem ungrateful...but..."

He was so...

Alpha walked over and leaned against the counter beside him. "What?"

There was another knock at the door, and Tooth Fairy actually whimpered a little this time when he covered his ears. If one more person knocked on that door...

The knocking stopped, and she signaled to him that it was safe.

But for how long?

Tooth Fairy gave a mirthless laugh, and he was suddenly fighting back tears. "I don't _deserve_ all this stuff! I didn't earn _any_ of it! It wasn't my fault Brinna _died,_ but I still drove her _away,_ and..."

He was so...

"Oh, luv..." Alpha reached for him, but he moved away as if her touch burned him.

 _Now_ his mind was starting to work. Something had clicked, and he understood why he couldn't identify what he was feeling. It was because he was feeling too many things at once, and the feeling that stood front and center? It was pure, unadulterated _resentment._

He was so...

"And _where_ was this-this-this outpouring of whatever-you-call-it when she first went missing? Hm?! It was all, 'Oh, where is she? Oh well!', then a week later, it was like she was never even _**here!**_ "Tooth Fairy slammed his fist down on the counter so hard that the crockery rattled.

He was so...

He was hyperventilating now. "And did anyone ever help me look for her? _**No!**_ Not _one person!_ And now they wanna come here, and-and-and give me all this _junk,_ as if it's gonna bring her back and make everything _okay,_ but it _won't,_ and I don't want _any_ of it!"

He was so _**angry!**_

His fist came down again, harder this time. It _hurt._ Both his fist and his heart blazed with white-hot agony. Resentment joined his grief and amplified it, and self-loathing completed the mix. He _hated_ these people for doing this! And, oh, it _hurt_ to hate them!

"Roy, don't do that."

This was the wrong thing to say.

"Don't tell me what to _do! Everyone's_ always telling me what I should _do,_ what I should _be,_ what I _am,_ and..." He raised his fist again as if to hit the counter again, then uncurled it and clutched at his head. " _Gah!_ And I could never just be _me!_ Only _she_ ever saw _me!_ " And he hit the counter again.

" _I_ see you. Roy...I _see_ you." Alpha's voice was calm and steady, but internally she was screaming right along with him. "I'm not telling you, I'm _asking_ you... _Please_ , don't do that..."

" _Why not?!_ "

"Because you'll _hurt_ yourself."

"Who _cares?_ "

" _I_ do."

He shook his head and paced his kitchen three times before rounding on her again. But it wasn't _her_ he was angry at. He was acting out aggressively, yes, but she never _once_ became the target. "These hypocrites never even _knew_ my sister, and _now_ they're coming out of the woodwork to give me all this stuff?! 'My condolences', 'we're sorry for your loss', that's _bullshit!_ If they really cared, they would've helped me _look_ for her! They would've tried to _find_ her! And now that they know she's dead, they've made it all about _**them!**_ " And his fist came down again. " _ **Fuck**_ them! _Fuck_ _ **all**_ _of them!_ "

Tooth Fairy pounded his fist on the counter over and over and over again, and he didn't even realize he'd started sobbing until Alpha forcefully grabbed his wrist in both her hands to keep him from injuring himself.

"Roy, _please_ stop!" She begged.

He tugged a few times to get free so that he could get back to punishing the counter, but it was useless. She wasn't hurting him at all, but he couldn't break her grip either. She could _not_ let him hurt his hand any more than he probably already had.

It was startling to realize that she actually _was_ a bit stronger than he was in her human form, and her contained strength shocked him right out of his tirade. He stopped fighting her, and just _cried._ His knees gave way, and he slid down to his kitchen floor. He didn't resist when Alpha gathered him close and rocked him; he _couldn't_. He clutched desperately at the back of her shirt as she quietly shushed him, and he cried harder than he could ever remember crying before. Safe in her arms, he wasn't just _letting_ himself cry; he was an active participant, hurling his rage and pain at the universe itself. "Why couldn't I _save_ her? _Why_ couldn't... _Why_ couldn't..."

Did a part of him still blame himself? Maybe this would always be the case...

But it wasn't long before he pushed it too far and was hyperventilating _badly._

"Och, you've gotten yersel' _so_ worked up, luv...Easy, ye're _panickin'..._ " She had seen him have a good cry before. That night on the roof, and the day she'd summarized Brinna's part in Viola's journal, both times he had cried long and hard. But this was the first time she had ever seen him get _hysterical._ Apart from the sobs, he was vibrating with adrenaline and couldn't seem to catch his breath, and she hated that there was nothing she could do to take this pain away from him. "Shhh, sh-sh-sh...I'm here with ye...I've got ye... _Breathe,_ Roy. Ye need tae _breathe._ "

"I c-c-can't!"

"Yes, ye can. Yes, ye can. Like this, feel how I'm breathin'." Alpha took a deep breath in through her nose, then let out out through her mouth. She repeated it twice. "Ye feel what I'm doin'? Try to match it."

"I _can't!_ "

"Yes, ye can..." She continued to take deep, even breaths and rubbed his heaving back. "Yes, ye can...Yes, ye can..."

He tried. And failed. At least, at first. Then, gradually, he was able to make a bit of progress. "I c-can't...I can't f-feel...my fingers..."

"Aye, that can happen when ye breathe like that, but it'll go away in a bit. Shhh... _breathe_..." Alpha rocked him as he did his best to steady his breathing a bit, her eyes focused straight ahead as she fought the urge to join in and cry right along with him. She noticed a dust bunny in a corner, and she focused on that.

Tooth Fairy gradually stopped hyperventilating, but the crying continued, and he shook his head without raising it. "I c-can't _stop..._ "

"It'll stop on its own..." Alpha murmured into his hair as she rocked him. "Just let it happen, I've got ye..."

"D-don't leave me...It's t-too big...I feel like th-the walls...are closing _in_ on me!"

 _He's scared,_ Alpha realized. _Letting himself be vulnerable like this...it_ _ **scares**_ _him._ "I'm not goin' _anywhere._ You're stuck wi' me, aye? The walls aren't _really_ closin' in on ye. You're just doin' what ye need to do, laddie...Just let it all out, and you'll be all right..."

"It _h-hurts!_ "

"I know it does..."

"I just...I just want everything to...go back to _normal!_ Is that...is that t-too much to ask?"

"No, it's not too much to ask..."

Gradually, he began to calm down some, until there was another knock at the door, just barely audible from where they were. As soon as he heard _that_ he went to pieces all over again. Feeling dizzy, he changed his position so that he lay with his head on her leg, just crying as if his heart would break. He had one hand over his face, whether to hide it from view or because it was somehow comforting, Alpha couldn't tell.

"Shhh...Shhh...It's all right, Roy, _it's all right_...they'll go away soon...I won't let them bother ye...We'll ignore the door. No one else is gettin' _near_ ye today." Alpha let him do what he wanted, so long as he wasn't hurting himself, and she draped her arm over his back between his wings. The fingers of her other hand combed gently through his hair.

She was reminded of the time her old pressure cooker finally gave up the ghost in an explosion of hot water and half-cooked potatoes. The internal pressure was too much for the gasket to handle; she never got her mashed potatoes, but thankfully she was able to duck in time to avoid getting scalded. Today, Roy was a pressure cooker that had simply had enough.

The pressure to go out every night and collect teeth to fuel the magical shield that hid his town from the world, that was hard enough, even though there were many aspects of his job that he enjoyed. The added pressure of having to prove his case to the mayor to keep both her and himself out of trouble, and being forced to lay himself bare in front of the entire town was even worse. Now, as if to add insult to injury, the empty platitudes had come rolling in. Instead of helping him, they were _hurting_ him. He was in so much pain. It broke her heart!

"Why can't they just leave me _alone?_ I just want them to leave me _alone..._ " Tooth Fairy had begun to subside to sniffles, comforted by Alpha's short nails lightly grazing his scalp.

"I know..."

"I'm sorry...I couldn't stop..."

"No, no, no..." Alpha shook her head. "You needed to get that out."

"I don't even...know if it's _true_ or not..." He hitched in a sharp breath, and he realized he could feel his fingers again. He knuckled away the tears without raising his head, but more replaced them. "Everything I said about 'em..."

"That doesn't matter," she whispered, switching over from stroking his hair to rubbing the back of his wing. She would have rubbed his back, but she was in a bad position to do so. It seemed to calm him further, though, and she continued. "That's what it _feels_ like to you right now. And it _hurts._ I know it does..."

There was yet another knock at his door, and while he didn't start crying hard again, he clutched at her knee and tensed up with a soft whimper.

"It's all right...They're not comin' in...I've got ye..."

"I feel like a prisoner in my own _house..._ " He sniffled, and it dawned on him that his right hand was throbbing something fierce. That was from hitting the counter. It wasn't broken, but he would have a nice bruise. Stupid thing to do...

But what she was doing to his wing felt so _nice._ It made him drowsy. His eyelids began to droop, and before long he actually drifted off to sleep.

Alpha looked at the clock. It was four in the afternoon, and Tooth Fairy would have to go to work in a few hours. _No, he's far too upset. And he's exhausted..._

Tooth Fairy gave vent to a congested snore, and Alpha stopped rubbing his wing. Almost as if he noticed, he shifted in his sleep, but then slumbered on.

It was quite unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome, when Mother Nature appeared in the kitchen with them. Alpha would have jumped, but thankfully she sensed the magic of the nature goddess's approach, and she shook her head and put a finger to her lips when Mother Nature opened her mouth to speak. Then she tapped the side of her head.

Mother Nature nodded as she knelt down in front of them and opened a telepathic link. _'What_ _ **happened,**_ _Alpha?'_

 _'There's a lot to catch you up on...'_ Alpha looked down at Tooth Fairy as his breath shivered in his sleep. She started rubbing his wing again. It took her a good twenty minutes, but she brought Mother Nature up to date on the latest happenings with the Fairies, and she finished with the most recent event. _'I've seen this before. He's...well, he hit a wall. I'm_ _ **afraid**_ _for him, Mother Nature. I love him so much, and I want to help him...but all I've got is some self-help books I've read at the library, and my own experiences. I'm not qualified to help someone going through this! My coping methods haven't always been the healthiest. I tend to take a lot of risks, or go on a bender for a couple days. I don't know what to do.'_

Mother Nature's expression was profoundly sad as she nodded. _'It's unusual that a Fairy so young would have to face so much loss. I sensed a rapid decline in his mental health, and a severe one...otherwise, I might not have picked up on it. Alpha, you did the right thing, and the_ _ **only**_ _thing that you could do.'_

 _'But I can't_ _ **fix**_ _this...'_

Mother Nature shook her head. _'No...you can't. But you were_ _ **there**_ _for him. Completely accepting and loving. That was what he needed in the moment. And he won't forget that.'_

Alpha looked down at him, sniffling a bit, but not crying. _'He can't work tonight...He's a mess...'_

Mother Nature frowned thoughtfully. _'I think you should leave that up to him. He'll probably feel somewhat emasculated as it is, when he's calmer. Just...stay with him for now. Maybe get him up to his room, where he won't hear it if someone knocks on the door. And if he's no better by the time his shift draws near, I want you to contact Father Time so that he'll_ _ **have**_ _time. The Tooth Fairy is important...and not just for the job he does. A sweet spirit like him doesn't come along very often...and he's been through enough.'_

Alpha smiled softly through her sadness. She couldn't agree more! _'I'll do that.'_

And with that, Mother Nature was gone as if she had never been there at all. Tooth Fairy gave another congested snore, and Alpha reluctantly woke him. "Roy? Wake up, luv."

"Mmph..." Tooth Fairy grunted softly, then realized that the hard floor was irritating his pressure points. Wait...hard floor? His eyes fluttered open, and he sat up stiffly. "I fell asleep..."

"Aye, ye did."

"I...Alpha, did I drop the F-bomb earlier?" Tooth Fairy looked mortified.

"Aye," Alpha offered him her handkerchief. "But I think you were justified."

Tooth Fairy took the offered hankie and blew his nose, then he remembered something else. 'Don't tell me what to do'. "I...oh, Alpha, I'm _sorry!_ I _yelled_ at you!"

"Aye, ye did. And ye know what?"

"What?"

"I _get_ it. You needed _me_ to hear _you._ I should have _asked_ you to stop hitting the counter, not _told_ you. I'm sorry."

Tooth Fairy stared at her, and his eyes filled with tears again. "No...It was _me..._ It's _all_ me..."

Alpha shushed him and put her arms around him. He sniffled a few times, but didn't fully break down. Then there was another knock on the door. He made a small sound and hid his face in her shoulder, and she felt herself growing angry. "Roy, do ye have any loose leaf paper, tape, and a marker?"

"Huh?" Alpha repeated her question, and he nodded and pulled back. "Yeah, somewhere. Why?"

"We're goin' tae make a 'Do Not Disturb' sign for your door and continue to ignore the knocks if people ignore the sign." She told him.

He blew his nose again, but the tears didn't stop; it was a sort of continuous leaking that he finally just ignored. Wiping them away was a wasted effort. "I hate having you see me like this...I _hate_ this. It...it makes me feel _naked..._ I dunno what I'm saying."

Alpha shook her head. "Actually, I think you're making a lot of sense. Letting yourself be vulnerable like that...You're giving someone else a look at what lives inside your heart. And it's not all puppies and rainbows. Some of it is...well, like this. It's hard to let people see that part of yourself, isn't it?"

He nodded. "That's exactly it. But if you weren't...I couldn't have..." He put his head in his hands, and his shoulders began to shake again. "Dang it, I thought I was _done!_ "

Alpha had a feeling he would probably be doing this on and off for the rest of the day. She sat with him until it passed, and she made the sign when he pointed her in the direction of his junk drawer.

He went to the sink and splashed some cold water on his face before drying it with a dish towel, and after checking to make sure no one was out there he quickly taped up the sign and came back in. He put a hand over his eyes when he realized he couldn't look in _any_ direction without seeing a gift basket or a tote full of cards.

Alpha saw his difficulty; he didn't even have to tell her. She came over and put her arm around him. "C'mon, let's get you upstairs and away from those."

"I'm sorry..."

"Roy...please, stop apologizing. It's all right."

He allowed himself to be led upstairs, and he uncovered his eyes when they reached his room. Then he blanched when he saw what was on the floor. A trail of clothing led from his bedroom door to the bathroom, and there, for all the world to see (or so it felt to him) was his underwear. A pair of blue boxer shorts with little sharks for a design lay crumpled on the floor just before the bathroom door. " _Oh, jeez!_ Alpha, don't look!"

Alpha had already turned her back and covered her eyes. "I saw nothing." Any other time, she would have laughed about it and maybe even resorted to some playful teasing, citing the fact that he had already seen one of her bras and fair was fair, but now was not the time.

Tooth Fairy scrambled to gather up his clothes, and he stashed them in the hamper. It was a mesh and metal thing in the corner of his room, and he tucked his boxers into his pants and out of sight. He turned to apologize yet again, and saw that Alpha hadn't moved. He sighed and sat down on his unmade bed. "Okay, you can look."

Alpha went over to him, and she tilted her head when he looked away. "Mind if I sit down?"

He patted the mattress without a word. _I can't believe she saw that!_

Alpha sat beside him. She twiddled her thumbs for a moment, and her mouth quirked at the left corner. She couldn't help herself. "They were nice, if it makes ye feel any better."

"It doesn't, thanks." Tooth Fairy replied, then returned her little smirk. "Thought you said you saw nothing."

"Oops?"

"Heh..." He shook his head, losing what little smile he had. "What time is it?"

Alpha took out her phone. "It's a little after 4:30. You have time."

The thought of going to work tonight caused his anxiety to skyrocket, and he put his head in his hands again. "I need to shake this. I can't have a panic attack in the air!"

Remembering Mother Nature's offer, Alpha nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe you need _more time._ "

"I don't _have_ more time!" Tooth Fairy was beginning to breathe too quickly.

"Yes, you do," Alpha touched his shoulder gently to gauge his reaction; if he pulled away, she would let him. He didn't, and she put her arm around him. "Mother Nature came while you were asleep."

He looked up at her, clearly shocked. "She saw me like _this?_ "

Alpha nodded, and decided that matter-of-fact was the way to go. "I think you were approaching a crisis point, and she sensed it. She made an offer."

"Offer?" Tooth Fairy rolled his wrist as if to say, 'and?'.

"If you feel like you're not able to work tonight, Father Time will step in. She's worried about ye, Roy..."

Recalling all the times he had pushed through his problems on his own, his expression turned bitter. "I'm sure she is."

"She _is._ And so am I."

Bitterness gave way to remorse. "But I don't _want_ you to worry about me. I want...I wanna be someone who's _good_ for you, not...a _burden._ "

Alpha reached over and took his hand, and he returned the grip. "Roy...you're _not_ a burden. You _have_ a burden. There's a difference. Sometimes they get too heavy, and we need someone to sort of...take over for a while. And yours was so incredibly heavy..."

He nodded, looking down at the rug. He didn't shy away from the blue color this time. His sister had _loved_ blue. It wasn't _his_ favorite color, but a lot of what he owned and a lot of what he wore was blue. Had he done that on purpose? Maybe, subconsciously, he wanted to be reminded of her in his everyday life.

But he _did_ shy away from the thought of being all by himself in a Time Bubble again. He wasn't physically ill this time, but he was starting to realize that, at least at the moment, he was ill in _another_ sort of way. He was _heart_ sick, and the thought of being alone right now truly scared him. He had no intention of doing something drastic; his mind never even went there! But the thought of that _solitude,_ a looming monster that mocked him with its implacable presence, chilled him to the bone. "If I do this..."

"Aye?"

Tooth Fairy's mind flashed back to a few days ago, when they had come very close to making love, and he wasn't sure how she would take this request. But he had to ask her. "Would ya stay?"

Alpha opened her mouth to reply, but he started to ramble.

"I know we agreed to no sleepovers for now, but I can sleep on the couch. I won't try anything, I swear. I just don't wanna be alone, and-"

Alpha put her hand over his mouth. "You're _not_ sleepin' on the couch, not with your back problems. Me, I can sleep anywhere. And your couch is new, so I'm sure it's comfy. _I'll_ take the couch." She smiled.

His eyes welled up again, and he hugged her. "Thank you...I really don't wanna put you out..."

Alpha held the backs of his shoulders, but in a different kind of embrace than the one from a few days ago. "And hey, we can hang out and watch movies all day in our PJ's, if ye want."

"Thought you didn't own PJ's," he smiled.

"I have sweatpants and T-shirts, if ye don't mind frump girl sittin' on yer couch."

He snorted. "'Frump girl'...You definitely have your own quirky style, but frumpy you are not."

And it wasn't as if there was a shortage of food now, if he could bring himself to eat it.

* * *

Roy's embarrassment came back when Father Time stood before him in his bedroom. This guy was _the big cheese,_ and it almost felt like a personal failure to have to ask this of him.

"Mother Nature tells me you have a request," Father Time leaned on his staff, and from the look in his eyes he already knew what the request was going to be.

There was a sort of fatherly compassion in his eyes that Roy couldn't really remember seeing in his own father's eyes, and he looked down at the floor. "I..."

Seeing that Tooth Fairy didn't have the words to ask, Father Time nodded. "You don't have to say it, Roy. I can see that these are unusual circumstances, and I'll grant your request. Alpha, will you be staying here as well?"

Tooth Fairy covered his face to hide the tears. The skin under his eyes stung from the salt and the constant rubbing. Father Time had remembered to call him by his _name!_

"Aye." She rubbed Tooth Fairy's back.

"Then you better go pack a bag. I'll stay with him until you get back."

Alpha nodded and got up.

Tooth Fairy felt a brief flare of panic as soon as she broke physical contact with him, and he reached out for her.

Alpha gripped his hand between hers, then put one hand to the back of his head and whispered in his ear. "I'm coming _right_ back, luv. It's all right."

Feeling silly, he nodded and looked away, gently pulling his hand from hers. "Reflex..."

She kissed his cheek and went home to pack.

Father Time brought Tooth Fairy's desk chair over and sat down in front of him with the creak of ancient bones. "You know...Mother Nature and I, we sometimes forget that mortals don't function on the same level as the two of us. You've done such a good job as the Tooth Fairy that all these years we sort of overlooked you. That was one of our biggest mistakes."

"You two don't make mistakes...You're _gods._ " Tooth Fairy dried his face on his shirt collar; his handkerchief, or, rather, Alpha's handkerchief, was a teary, snotty mess.

"We're immortal beings who are _viewed_ as gods, but we're not above making mistakes. And we're not above complacency. We thought you had moved on, and so we dusted off our hands and did the same. And, for that, we are truly sorry." Father Time nodded as if to emphasize what he'd just said, and Tooth Fairy couldn't answer. "There's no shame in asking us for help, you know."

"I don't know _how..._ " Tooth Fairy shook his head. "That's not _me._ "

Father Time smiled sadly. "I think it's _starting_ to be. It started with Alpha."

Tooth Fairy looked up at Father Time, then nodded and looked away. He hoped she would come back soon. Father Time's words meant a lot, but at the same time, they made him feel uncomfortable. It was like having your boss offer you a hug!

Thankfully, Alpha didn't take long to pack. She carried a duffel bag over her shoulder, and she had the box containing her Scrabble board tucked under her arm. "Did I miss anything?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head. "Just guy talk."

Alpha put the game on his desk next to his laptop and smiled. "'Guy talk'. Right. Um, where can I put me bag?"

"Wherever you want," He shrugged, running a hand through his hair to make it lie down. He really needed a trim.

Father Time stood up. "Very well, I'll do what I came here to do. Alpha, you're aware that if you step outside or go back to The Hollow, the spell will be broken and you'll both be back on 'real world' time?"

"Aye, I figured that. How long do we have?" She asked.

"As long as he needs, or until your food runs out."

And with that, Father Time was gone and they had been sectioned off from the rest of the world.

Through his haze of exhaustion and pain, Tooth Fairy realized that he and Alpha would essentially be _living_ together for an undetermined amount of time. What would normally be an enticing (and nerve-wracking) thought was now a _comforting_ one. But he still felt guilty for derailing her life like this!

Alpha went over to his bedroom curtains to peek out, and she stared at what she saw. The sprinkling had become a downpour, and raindrops hovered in place just outside the curved pane of glass as if she were looking at a snapshot. The few Fairies who were out in such dreadful weather hung suspended in the sky, one of them holding a newspaper ineffectively over his head to keep it dry, and two of them wearing rain ponchos and galoshes. Everything was moving so excruciatingly slowly that she couldn't even see it. "Whoahhh...That has got to be the most _surreal_ thing I've ever seen. And this is coming from someone who once refereed an arm wrestling match between Harry and a Bugbear."

"What's a Bugbear?"

"Sort of a bigger, stronger version of a Goblin. Same family, different species. I'm sure you've seen 'em out and about."

"Oh," Tooth Fairy wouldn't have known if he had, because no one had pointed them out and it seemed rude to randomly ask people what they were.

Alpha went over and sat beside him. "Did ye sleep at all today?"

He shook his head. "I tried, but every time I could finally relax, someone was bangin' on my door..."

"Don't they know you sleep during the day?" Alpha asked, trying to hide how irritated she was.

"I _thought_ so, but I guess they forgot. Or didn't care..." He wiped away a tear.

"Well," Alpha rubbed the space between his wings, "They can't bother you now, and you've got all the time in the world. Take yer shoes off, and lie down."

"I'm sorry..." He didn't even know what he was apologizing for, but he felt _guilty._ He didn't even know _why._ Maybe it was having someone make a fuss over him. He'd gotten so used to being alone, that when he really needed something and actually _got_ it, he didn't always know how to receive it.

Alpha lightly brushed back his hair and knocked the side of her shoe against his to prompt him to remove them. "Well, if you _insist_ on being sorry, why don't you be sorry in a horizontal position? C'mon, tuck up. I'll sit with ye until you fall asleep, if you want."

He sniffled and removed his shoes, then slid under the covers fully dressed and turned away.

There was enough room for her, so Alpha took off her own shoes and curled up behind him. She didn't hold him, because she wasn't sure if he would have been comfortable with that at the moment, but she started rubbing his back in between his wings again. She'd noticed that it sometimes had a sedative effect on him, and what he needed now was good sleep.

Instead of falling asleep like she thought he might, he began to cry again. Alpha just kept doing what she was doing, and finally he turned towards her and reached out. Then he hesitated, unsure if he should be doing this while they were lying in his bed. Was there any kind of implication? And at this point, did it even matter? He put his hand over his face instead.

"You can. It's okay." Alpha did what he wasn't brave enough to do and took him in her arms. "Come here, luv."

Without opening his eyes, he gratefully accepted her embrace and returned it. He sniffled and held his breath for a moment, making a last ditch effort to bring himself under control again, but it was no use. His hand still hurt, and his back was in agony. The world outside was just _waiting_ for him, seemingly ready to pounce as soon as he showed himself. And they knew his sister was gone. He would have to face them again. It would resume as soon as he left the Time Bubble. He gave up and sobbed quietly into her chest. "Oh, Alpha..."

"I know..." Finally, Alpha let her own tears fall, but her voice didn't give it away. "My poor, sweet love...I know."

After a while, she began to hum softly; it was a song he didn't know, but it sounded like a lullaby. Almost immediately, he began to quiet down. He had enough presence of mind to realize that this _should_ have been embarrassing for him, having her hum a lullaby to him like someone might do for a child who's just had a night terror, but at that point there was no room in his heart for shame. He simply accepted the comfort she offered him, and thanked any deity who happened to be listening that she was there.

Drowsiness settled over him like a blanket of safety, and he sighed as the cramp between his wings eased up a little. It must have been because he was so tense, and now that the tension was beginning to leave him, so was some of the back pain. Alpha was combing her fingers through his hair again, and he didn't fight it when he began to drift off.

She continued to hum until she was sure he was asleep, and she closed her eyes and nuzzled his hair. It smelled faintly of bergamot and sage, and it was already quite messy from that day's ordeal. _You're really going through it, aren't you? And they didn't make it any easier. I'd like to get my hands on some of them..._

She had planned on getting up and sneaking downstairs to sleep on his couch, but somehow she had ended up becoming a pillow, and he had even hooked a leg over hers after sleep had claimed him. He was warm and solid, and there was no getting out of that bed without waking him up again.

 _I'm stuck. Ah, well. When in Rome..._

Alpha pulled the duvet up a little more to stave off a chill, adjusted her pillow carefully so as not to wake him, and closed her eyes.

 _Note:_ _This was_ _ **not**_ _a happy chapter, and it was actually very hard to write, but I think it needed to happen. I had originally planned on having him handle things a lot better, but he still has a lot of unresolved issues he's avoided facing, and it just made sense to me that his peoples' actions, well-meaning as they were, just might have been his tipping point. But he'll make progress in the next chapter, and there might be a bit of fluff to go along with it!_


	35. Chapter 35: Respite

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Tooth Fairy finally gets some much needed downtime, and not a second too soon! Alpha helps out a bit around the house, and they soon fall into a routine. Now that he's actually acknowledged it, Tooth Fairy explores the root of his resentment towards his people and how it relates to his loss, and Alpha is there to listen. There's some heartfelt discussion, maybe a few tears, and even a bit of humor. Alpha isn't on the couch for very long, but they keep to their agreement and behave themselves. Eventually he's ready to rejoin the world, and he comes to an important decision._

 _Trigger warning for emetophobes. References to 'It's A Boy', and to things that haven't happened yet in that timeline, but are well in TF's past now. He doesn't go into a whole lot of detail, so I don't think that counts as spoilers. Alpha's magic is still being shaped, and she invents a new use for it. Also, for a lifelong bachelor, living with a woman is a bit of an adjustment and it can make for some humorous gaffes!_

"Chapter 35: Respite"

'Day' 1

Tooth Fairy slept for a long time. It was impossible to know exactly _how_ long, because the clocks reflected the time passing (or _not_ passing) outside of the Time Bubble, rather than inside it. When he finally woke up from a blessedly dreamless sleep, he was momentarily confused. His head ached, but otherwise he was comfortable and very warm. It took him a moment to realize that his head rested on something soft, and that 'something soft' was not a pillow.

He opened his eyes and realized that he had fallen asleep in Alpha's arms, and that his head now rested on her chest. At any other time, he would have moved away for decency's sake and blushed like a schoolboy, but now? Now he was still so tired, and being held by the woman he loved was _nice._ He _did_ shift his lower half away a bit though, since they had pretty much been lying belly-to-belly. He closed his eyes again and sighed.

Alpha felt him stir, and this woke her up. _He hasn't moved all night...well, not all 'night', but...the whole time he was asleep, he stayed in the same position. He must have really needed that sleep._

"Are you awake?" she whispered.

"No," he mumbled back. His voice was cracked and hoarse, which was hardly surprising. He nestled closer and heaved a deeper sigh; it was a sigh of drowsy contentment. He didn't want to get up yet.

"Must be talkin' in yer sleep, then," Alpha cupped the back of his head and kissed his hair. "I have to get up, luv."

"Mm-mmm..." Tooth Fairy sleepily protested.

"I need to use the bathroom."

"Oh." He reluctantly let go without bothering to open his eyes, and he dozed a bit more until she came back.

Alpha sat down on the edge of his bed and smoothed back his hair. "Want some breakfast?"

"No..."

She frowned. She hadn't seen him eat anything the whole time she was with him, and she had arrived at his home _hours_ ago. But she didn't want to nag him, and she had been like this more than once herself. "Still sleepy?"

"Yeah."

"All right..." Alpha nodded and pulled the covers up so that he would stay warm. "Go back to sleep for a bit, and I'll just fix myself something."

"Mm-hmm," Tooth Fairy mumbled, ritching around a bit to get more comfortable; he didn't want to turn over, but the left side of his body was a bit achy from his having not moved all night. He shifted forward a bit to where she had been, trying to hold on to the last bit of warmth she'd left behind on the mattress. "You might as well get into those gift baskets...They're up for grabs."

Alpha wasn't sure if she was comfortable being the first one to open one of them, but she knew _he_ probably wouldn't do it. Not yet. He wasn't ready to face them. She started out of the room, then turned back. "Should I bring you something later?"

"No thanks, I'll come down in a while." He finally gave up on being comfortable on his left side and turned over.

* * *

When he eventually came down, he saw that the gift baskets and totes were nowhere to be seen. Alpha was curled up in his recliner with a book. "What're you reading?"

Alpha marked her place with a magazine insert she had found. "Something from your shelf; 'The War of the Worlds'. You don't mind, do ye?"

"Pfff, why would I mind?" He waved a hand and sat down on his couch. He rubbed his temples and sighed; his headache was receding, thankfully, but it was still there.

Alpha came over and sat beside him. "How'd ye sleep, luv?"

"Pretty good..." He reluctantly looked over at her, suddenly shy. But _why,_ though? He had cried in front of her before!

 _Not like_ _ **that.**_ _Not_ _ **that**_ _out of control, and not lying on the_ _ **floor.**_ _She won't look at me the same after that!_ "I'm...I'm _sorry_ about earlier. I've _never_ lost it like that before. _Never._ I...On the _floor_ like that, that was..." He shook his head and looked away. "I don't know what came _over_ me. It was..." He searched for the word he wanted. Then he had it, but he didn't want to admit it.

Alpha waited patiently and rubbed his back. He looked back at her, and she nodded encouragingly.

He sighed. "It was _terrifying._ It was like...being caught in the undertow and getting dragged out to sea. It was like _I_ wasn't having a cry, the cry was having _me._ " He shook his head. "I dunno..."

She nodded and took his hand in hers. "Well...if ye ever 'get dragged out to sea' again, I'll just have to throw you a lifeline, won't I?"

His eyes filled with tears, but they didn't fall, and he gave her a little smile. "You already _did._ "

They embraced for a long moment, and he sighed. The pressure was _off._ No more night flights and hot showers to soothe his aching back, at least for a while. No more cards. No more gift baskets. No squeaking mail slot, and no more infernal _knocking._ Just him and her.

But he still felt like just about anything could set him off again. Where had all his _progress_ gone! Forget about being back to square one; he had reached a new depth, and it frightened him.

His stomach growled, but he didn't want to eat. Alpha heard it, and she wasn't letting him get away _that_ easily.

"Want some cheese and crackers?" She asked, and tried again when he shook his head no. "It's sort of a smoked cheddar. It's pretty good with a bit of sliced apple."

"I'm not hungry."

"I know you're not," Alpha nodded sympathetically. "But you haven't eaten a thing, and it's been over twelve hours."

Tooth Fairy looked at her, unsure if he wanted to be annoyed with her insistence or not, but his traitorous stomach growled again. He _was_ hungry; he just didn't want to eat. He wanted food, and _didn't_ want it at the same time! The look he gave her was almost a pleading one. "Alpha..."

"All I'm askin' is that ye _try._ That's all. If ye can't, then...well, you can try again later."

He sighed. He knew that if their positions were reversed, he'd probably be hounding her pretty badly to eat something at this point. Maybe he _would_ feel better if he had a little something in his stomach. "Okay...Say, where _are_ those gift baskets, anyway?"

"I put 'em in the kitchen. I would've put them in the basement with the totes, but there wasn't enough room. Ye wanna come with, or stay here?"

"Stay here." Tooth Fairy looked down. He felt guilty again. He was perfectly capable of getting it for himself, at least physically. But she had given him the option to stay while she got it for him, and when he thought about declining and going in himself his stomach churned. _What the heck is wrong with me?_

Alpha nodded and gave him a peck on the cheek before going to get him his snack. She had a feeling the first few bites might trigger his appetite, so she put six crackers on his plate, six slices of cheese, and six thin slices of apple. She got him a glass of water to wash it down, grabbed a napkin, and brought it out to him. He was looking out the window and frowning. "What is it?"

He unhooked his finger from the curtain, letting it close again. "Someone's out there, getting ready to knock. He's just frozen like a statue. Talk about unsettling..."

"Not another casserole..."

" _No,_ thank the gods..." He came over and accepted the plate and glass. "Thanks, Alpha."

"You're welcome. Just pretend he isn't there, luv. Ye won't see him if you don't open the curtains."

Tooth Fairy sat down on his couch with the plate balanced on his lap. "Easier said than done..." He put a slice of cheese on a cracker, considered the tip she'd given him earlier, then shrugged and put an apple slice on top of the cheese. _Might be good..._

Alpha went back into the kitchen and retrieved the apple she had started to cut up, not wanting it to sit and turn brown, and she picked up her (well, his) book again when she came back out. She didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable by watching him eat, and a moment later she heard him crunching away.

Alpha's hunch had been correct. The crackers were good and the cheese was smoky and salty, while the sliced apple was fresh and sweet. It made for a nice contrast with the cheese, and Tooth Fairy's stomach grumbled loudly as he ate. "It's good."

"Mm-hmm."

Tooth Fairy was able to finish his snack, but he didn't really have the urge to eat anymore, which was unusual for him. It wasn't an altogether unfamiliar feeling, though. His appetite was poor again. And, now that he thought about it, he had slept in his clothes and was still wearing them. He felt his face, and sure enough, his stubble was growing in. He should really shave, but...

He let his hand drop back to his lap. "I don't feel like shaving today..."

Alpha smiled a bit. "Tell me, what would you look like with a beard?"

He smirked and opened one of his end tables. After a bit of rummaging, he came out with a Polaroid someone had taken of him when he wasn't looking. "See for yourself."

"Oh!" Alpha took it somewhat eagerly and looked at it. In the picture, he was fiddling around with a fishing rod. The line had gotten tangled and bunched up at the reel. The tip of his tongue poked out a bit in concentration, and sure enough, he had a short beard that sort of looked like it was trying to be a goatee, but Alpha didn't know about men's beard styles. She laughed softly. "Well, _someone's_ focused on what he's doing!"

"Yeah, my friend Connor took that picture. I look like a caveman in that..."

"Oh, you do _not._ " She gave back the picture, and he put it away again.

"How many cavemen have you seen?"

Alpha fixed him with a wry look. "I _live_ in a cave. So, quite a few."

He snorted. "Different kind of caveman. Shaving every day _is_ bothersome, though. You, uh...prefer me with or without a beard?"

"I prefer you whichever way you're comfortable. I think you look good both ways." Alpha took a bite out of her apple, which was almost eaten down to the pips. "Beards tickle when ye kiss, though."

" _And_ it itches when they grow in." He then remembered why he hadn't kept the beard. "Crumbs get caught in them, too...Eh, I guess I'll shave in a bit."

Alpha nodded, privately glad. She really didn't care if he shaved or not, as long as it was a choice he made for aesthetic reasons, but the thought of him neglecting himself again worried her.

He looked down at his empty plate, and considered handing it off to Alpha, but he decided that he needed to make himself face the sight of those baskets. After all, he had eaten some of what was in them, and he had handled that just fine. _Okay...I can do this..._

"Ye want me to get that?" Alpha asked when he began to get up with his plate.

He shook his head and adjusted his vest, which had ridden up a bit in the back. It would soon be too warm to wear these, and he would have to switch over to his lighter summer wardrobe. "No, I got it. Thanks, though."

Alpha watched him go, and she almost asked him if he wanted her to go with him, but she didn't want him to feel like she was babying him. And maybe he _could_ handle it.

Tooth Fairy felt his stomach begin to roil before he even got to the kitchen, but he pushed on and went in. He saw seven gift baskets on his kitchen counter, one of them already unwrapped. His stomach lurched, and he fought the urge to heave. _No...Roy, don't you_ _ **dare**_ _throw up!_ He swallowed hard. The feeling did not abate, and he looked away from the gift baskets. _Okay...okay..._ _ **Behave,**_ _stomach..._

He put his plate in the sink and turned to leave...and he could feel it coming. He quickly covered his mouth when he realized it wouldn't be stopped this time. _Oh, no..._

Alpha was startled when he came charging through the living room and bounded up the stairs with a hand clamped firmly over his mouth. "Roy?"

The sounds that answered her told her all she needed to know. "Oh, no..."

Alpha jogged into the kitchen and threw away her apple core, rinsed the juice from her hands, then went up to check on him. His bedroom door was open, but the bathroom door was closed. She padded over to it and knocked softly. "Roy, are you all right?"

"Don't come in," he groaned, "I didn't make it..."

"Ooh...Well, go lie down, and I'll clean it up."

"No, it got _on_ me," He sniffled and flushed the toilet. "Just...stay out there, okay?"

"Okay...I'm sorry, luv..."

She could hear him using handfuls of toilet paper to clean his bathroom floor. "Do ye want me to pass you through some clothes?"

" _No,_ I just..." Tooth Fairy began, not wanting her _near_ him just now; he was humiliated enough as it was! But he _knew_ she just wanted to help, and a part of him _wanted_ help. She had already seen his discarded boxers anyway, so he supposed it didn't make a difference if she went through his dresser and saw the rest. He got the canister of bleach wipes out from under the sink and made _darn_ sure the floor was clean, then liberally sprayed some air freshener. "Yeah, okay. PJ's are in the second drawer from the top...boxers are in the next one up. I'm _so_ sorry..."

"It's _all right,_ luv, my goodness..." She got him what he'd asked for and knocked again, and when he opened the door a crack and stuck a hand out she passed them in to him.

"Thanks..."

"Mm-hmm."

Tooth Fairy got undressed and folded his soiled clothes so that the stain was on the inside and not touching anything, and he stepped into the shower to wash his shame down the drain. He would have to pass through the kitchen again to get to his basement, where his washer and dryer were. At least if he got sick again, his stomach was pretty much empty. Even if Alpha knew how to use the washer and dryer, he wasn't about to ask her to wash his clothes.

Why had this happened? He was _fine_ with that food when it was on a plate! Why had he suddenly come over all sick and shaky?

 _The baskets...It's not what's in them, it's the presentation...That's how they arrived, and that's what's setting me off. Oh, this is ridiculous...They're just_ _ **baskets!**_

He was in there for so long that he used up all the hot water, and this effectively put an end to his stalling. He dried off and put on a set of burgundy pajamas, had a good long swish with mouthwash, took a deep breath to steel himself to face her after _that_ , and gathered up his dirty clothes to wash them.

Alpha hadn't waited for him in his room, for which he was grateful. She always seemed to know when he needed space! Then he _froze._

She was using her magic, but it wasn't like any magic use he had sensed from her before. And it wasn't combat magic, either. She was using it to...well, it felt like something was _changing,_ and she was the cause of it. He cautiously went downstairs, and realized she was in the kitchen. "Uhh...sweetheart? Whatcha doin'?"

"Thought I'd try my hand at transformation." Alpha came out with something in her hand. Whatever it was, it looked like a pumpkin, only it was made of wicker. And _tiny!_ It was about the size of the apple she had been eating.

Tooth Fairy wasn't much of a wicker guy, and he didn't really collect too many knick-knacks, so it definitely wasn't something he had bought and just forgotten about. "What's _that_ thing?"

"Well, it _was_ a basket." Alpha held it behind her back and out of sight. "Go on, it's safe to go in."

"I...What did you do?" It still wasn't sinking in.

Alpha managed not to wrinkle her nose. It wasn't a strong smell, but it was still vomit. "I'll tell you when ye come back up."

Tooth Fairy ducked his head and went into the kitchen, and sure enough the baskets were nowhere to be seen. Neither were their contents. Curiosity warred with gratitude, and he went to do his laundry. When he came back up, he washed his hands just to make extra sure that they were clean and peeked in the refrigerator.

Alpha had emptied out all of the baskets and put the perishables in the fridge.

He looked in the cabinets, and sure enough, the non-perishables were right where he'd guessed they would be. Instead of being a trigger for him, they now made his pantry look like he had just done his grocery shopping for the week. _Oh, Alpha, I love you..._

He came back out and sat beside her on the couch, and hugged her without a word.

"Are you all right?" Alpha hugged back.

"Not really..." He sniffled. "But better than I was a minute ago."

"Ohh..." She rubbed his back.

"I figured out what you did... _Thank_ you."

"You're welcome. I just wish I'd thought of it sooner. M'sorry ye lost yer breakfast, Wintergreen..."

He sat back and dried his face. "Well, _I'm_ sorry you had to witness that. I don't think I lost _all_ of it, though. I'll eat something else later."

"Okay," Alpha could see that he didn't want to talk anymore, and she nodded at his DVD collection. "Want to watch something?"

"Yeah."

* * *

They spent the rest of that 'day' watching movies and cuddling under his afghan. It was an old Chicago Bears throw, and it actually had a couple small holes in it, but it was clearly well-loved and it was warm.

'The 'Burbs' actually got him to laugh, specifically the part where Corey Feldman's character dropped the line 'pizza dude'. After that they put in 'The Wizard of Oz', which Alpha was surprised he actually had a copy of.

"I didn't know ye were into musicals," Alpha teased as she rejoined him under the blanket.

"I'm not, but this was the first movie I ever went to. I saw it in theaters in 1939." He explained as the opening credits began.

"So did I!" Alpha grinned. "I snuck in and sat in the back."

Tooth Fairy 'tsk-tsked' in mild disapproval, but something occurred to him. "Wouldn't it be funny if we were at the same showing and didn't know it?"

"It _would,_ but I doubt we were. Humans and Fairies have a very similar scent, but now that I'm familiar with it I can tell the difference, and I never got a whiff."

Tooth Fairy raised an eyebrow. "Okay, _that's_ just weird to say..."

"Well, it's _true!_ " She chuckled. "I mean, I don't go around just randomly _smelling_ people; that'd be rude. I just happen to notice things, and I would've been able to tell if a non-human was there."

He laughed at that, and got back to the subject of them possibly seeing the same show at the same time. "Well, I don't know how you could tell, what with all the cigarette smoke that was around back then. It _could've_ happened. You don't believe in coincidences?"

"No, I believe in them. I just don't trust them."

"Heh. It kinda blew my mind what humans could do with practical effects and no magic at all."

"Oh, aye," Alpha snuggled in close, glad that he seemed to be enjoying himself. She was under no illusion that he was 'fine', of course, and she had a feeling they would end up having some pretty heavy conversations later on. For now, though, she had no solid plans and was taking her cues from him. If he wanted to talk, they would talk. If he wanted to distract himself with movies, they would have a movie marathon. Her main goal was to simply _be_ with him and make sure his frazzled nerves got a chance to heal. Or, at least, _start_ to. "That cyclone was incredible, and all it was was a giant muslin sock!"

"Really?" He shifted so that he could give his wings a short flutter; with them resting against the back of the couch, they got pins and needles the same way his arm did if he happened to sleep on it. It wasn't painful, but he didn't like it.

"Ye never checked out the special features on your DVD? There's a making-of documentary on that."

"Huh! Wanna watch it after this?"

"Sure."

They were mostly quiet throughout the movie, just enjoying the nostalgia, but the goodbye scene at the end had him sniffling.

"Are you okay?"

Tooth Fairy rested his head on her shoulder and nodded. "Sorry, it's the music..." He swallowed and dried his face on a corner of the blanket. "I'm fine."

Alpha knew it wasn't just the music, but she didn't contradict him. She leaned her head against his as the movie's colors went back to sepia.

Something occurred to him, and he frowned and lifted his head again. "I never thought about it before, but...are the witches in this movie offensive?"

"No," she shook her head, "not really. I mean, there's a good witch and a bad witch, and the Witches in The Hollow are all individuals. Everyone's generally well behaved because we've had to sort of become one huge extended family, but we don't always get along. And there's the occasional bad apple, same as anywhere. The only thing is, Glinda said, 'only bad witches are ugly'. The word 'ugly' is pretty subjective, I think, and looks don't correlate with personality in any case."

He kissed the side of her head. " _Yours_ do."

"Flatterer."

Tooth Fairy enjoyed the documentary, and when it ended Alpha asked, "What do you want to watch after this?"

"You pick."

"Hm...I'll have to get up and look."

He groaned and tightened his arms around her. "No..."

"I'm no' a squeaky toy, luv!" She giggled.

"You're not?" He snaked one arm down and tickled her tummy.

" _Eep!_ " Alpha squeaked and squirmed away with a grin. " _Shame_ on ye."

"Hehehe. Come back, it's cold."

"No, I have to switch out the DVD's." Alpha evaded his hands, and he chuckled as she went to pick another movie to watch.

* * *

Dinner was a more subdued affair. They got a start on the baked ziti, which was every bit as good as it smelled, but Tooth Fairy couldn't finish his. He covered his leftovers and put the plate in his fridge, and Alpha didn't press him. She was just glad he had eaten. As the 'day' drew to a close, he seemed more and more pensive.

When she reached a point where she couldn't stop yawning, Alpha went upstairs to his bathroom, had a shower, and got ready for bed. Well, 'couch'. She came down wearing black sweat pants and a purple T-shirt with a humorous design on it; a row of grinning jack-o-lanterns at the top and bottom, and a ghost in the middle with a speech bubble saying, 'I'm just here for the boos'. Normally he would have at least cracked a smile at it, but he didn't. He looked up when he heard her come down, and reluctantly got to his feet. "I'll go get you a pillow and some blankets."

"That's okay, the couch has throw pillows, and this blanket's warm enough." Alpha gently snagged his arm. "Hey...what's wrong?"

He shook his head and kissed her forehead. "Nothing. Just tired."

Alpha frowned as she watched him go upstairs, but she didn't want to intrude if he needed space. She had made herself available, and he _knew_ that he could come to her if he needed to talk, but he would talk when he was ready. She was the same way.

He came back down with a pillow and an extra blanket. "In case the throw pillow's too hard, or you get cold..." He awkwardly explained.

"Thanks, Roy," Alpha accepted them, then kissed him goodnight and gave him a long hug. "I love you."

He hugged back and simply nodded, unable to speak over the lump in his throat.

* * *

Alpha had misread the situation a bit. Tooth Fairy didn't want to talk about his breakdown or the events that had triggered it, that was true, but he did _not_ need space. Nor did he want it.

He had given Alpha his extra pillow, which meant he had nothing for his arm to go around; no pillow, and no Alpha. Without the movies to distract him and their easy, loving banter, he was alone with his thoughts once more, and he didn't like it.

Even though she hadn't meant to fall asleep in his bed with him before, he had been _glad_ to wake up and find her there. It let him know that he wasn't alone, and even though he _knew_ she was just downstairs, he keenly felt the solitude. Also, she was sleeping on the couch, and that didn't feel right to him. As a gentleman, he should have insisted on taking the couch and given her the bed. _He_ thought so, anyway.

They had made an _agreement._ No more bed-sharing until the time was right. He knew he could control himself, and he fully intended to do so, but he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.

But if she made a move on _him,_ would he even want to resist her? Resist her he would, because he hadn't proposed yet, but no, he would _not_ want to, and it would just be uncomfortable all around. So, he tried to sleep. For hours, he tossed and he turned, and the intrusive thoughts crept in.

Why hadn't his people helped him search for his sister, and why did they suddenly 'care' now?

Why had he lost it so completely before, and to such a small trigger? Or, _was_ it small? What was he missing?

How could Alpha love him so much after he had been such a downer this year? This wasn't how he _was!_

But she _did_ love him. And he felt like he didn't deserve it.

The pillow his head rested on had been the one she'd used earlier, and it smelled faintly of vanilla from her hair. It was a comforting smell, but he still couldn't sleep. Finally, he simply gave up and got out of bed. He folded up the duvet, grabbed it and his pillow, and heaved a sigh. _You're pathetic, Roy, do you know that?_

Centuries of sneaking into peoples' rooms to exchange coins for teeth served him well as he tip-toed down the stairs and passed his sleeping girlfriend. He knew he would have to explain himself later on, but right now he just wanted to sleep and be near her. He sat down in his recliner and arranged the duvet, slowly pulled the handle so as not to wake her with the clunking sound it usually made, and got himself settled. His wings would be a bit sore when he woke up due to his having slept on his back, but right now he didn't care.

Listening to her slow, even breathing, he was asleep within five minutes.

'Day' 2

This time, Alpha woke up before he did. She frowned when she heard a soft snore from the vicinity of the recliner. Tooth Fairy had apparently gotten up during the 'night' and come down to sleep in his chair. One leg dangled off the foot rest, and as soundly as he was sleeping, he didn't look very comfortable. If nothing else, his foot was probably cold.

Alpha yawned and sat up, stretched, and went over to wake him. "Roy?"

He didn't respond until she gently jiggled his shoulder, then he snorted himself awake. "Huh? Oh..." His sleep-addled brain caught up, and he looked sheepishly away. "Hey..."

"What're ye doin', luv?" Alpha was smiling, but her concern was obvious.

"Well, I _was_ sleeping." Tooth Fairy adjusted his position to take some pressure off his wings and rested his chin on his fist with a cheeky smile. "And now, I'm talking to _you._ "

"You know what I mean." Alpha knelt beside the chair to get on his level, but didn't kiss him; they both needed to brush their teeth.

"Yeah, I know..." He sighed. "It's silly, but..."

"Mm-mmm," Alpha shook her head. "This is a judgment-free zone. Ye had a reason for sleeping here. What's up?"

He turned red. "I _couldn't_ sleep. I just... _missed_ you, I guess...I tried to sleep, but I didn't wanna be alone. And...I dunno."

"Och..." Alpha shook her head and hugged him. "Why didn't ye _say_ somethin'?"

"Felt a bit silly..." He admitted, hugging back. "And I didn't want you to think...well..."

"What?" She released him and tilted her head.

"I didn't want you to feel... _pressured._ "

She still wasn't getting it. "'Pressured' how?"

He couldn't say it. " _You_ know."

 _Oh._ "Roy, this is different. I think we both know that now is definitely _not_ the time to take that step. I can control myself, and I trust ye to do the same. _Can_ you?"

He nodded, feeling as if a weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. "Yeah."

She shook her head. "No funny business." _Not yet, anyway._

"Heh...no funny business." He agreed with a bashful smile. _Not yet, anyway._ "Is hugging still okay?"

Alpha smiled back. "I thought that was the point, luv."

 _Gods,_ he loved her!

She stroked his whiskery cheek. "So...we can ditch the couch and chair, and just share the bed. We've done that before."

"You sure you're okay with that?" he asked.

"I am if _you_ are."

He was.

* * *

Tooth Fairy's appetite was a little better. After a breakfast of ready-made snack foods, which he wondered if they would ever be able to finish between the two of them, he put his clothes on for another wash cycle, since he had forgotten about them the 'day' before. They took turns using the bathroom, and he showered and got dressed in his day clothes.

After waffling about whether to shave or not, he got out his shaving kit and made short work of the scruff he was growing. Then he spotted Alpha's scrabble board still sitting on his desk. _We_ _ **both**_ _like Scrabble. I wonder if she wants to play?_

He took the game and went back downstairs, both to see what she was up to and to get a start on the dishes he had let pile up in the sink. He found her leaning against the counter, sipping a glass of water, and the dishes were nowhere to be seen.

Alpha saw his confused look and shook her head. "Oh, I already got 'em."

"You didn't have to do that..." Tooth Fairy was touched, but embarrassed that he had let the dishes sit there that long.

"I didn't mind," Alpha smiled. "It gave me somethin' to do." Then she pointed at the Scrabble board. "Up for a game?"

"Yeah, if you want."

They spent the rest of their second 'day' in the Time Bubble playing Scrabble and having the occasional snack, but again there were no serious conversations. He knew he would probably cry when he decided to talk about it, and he wanted to take full advantage of this opportunity to just _relax_ with her, so he was putting it off.

When they went to bed, however, he reflected on the reason why she was there in the first place. He couldn't put these feelings off forever, and when they laid down and he made eye contact with her, he felt his eyes begin to sting. No words were exchanged, and she simply nodded and pulled him into a gentle hug. There were only a few quiet sniffles from him, and he soon fell asleep.

'Day' 7

'Days' three, four, five and six passed in much the same way as the first two. He relaxed, watched movies with Alpha, played Scrabble with her, and their meals consisted of the food that had been dropped off for him. At this point, the garbage can was starting to get a bit funky. He was starting to stress out about having to leave the Time Bubble sooner than he felt he was ready to, since he would _have_ to go outside to take the trash out, but Alpha had an idea. It was time to show off her new 'trick'!

"Okay, watch this..." She removed the lid and held a hand over the can. Her hand began to glow orange, and there was a sparkling effect that was similar to the one that happened when he made his wings invisible. As these orange 'sparks' drifted down, the garbage began to shrink and compress until an odorless brown cube sat in the bottom of the trash bag.

"Huh! Where'd you get the idea to try that?" Tooth Fairy picked up the cube and turned it in his hands. It was hard and solid like a block of wood, but light. If he was a betting man, he would wager that it was completely biodegradable.

"Well, I thought if the Witches can transform things, and I've got magic of my own now, why not give it a try?" Alpha smiled. Since he was someone who had grown up with magic and viewed it as commonplace, it was sort of flattering that he was impressed. "And it worked on the baskets. So, you don't have to leave yet. Not if you're not ready."

He wasn't. And he felt _bad_ about that. Tooth Fairy dropped the block back into the can and replaced the lid before washing his hands. "I'm sorry you're stuck here with me..."

"I'm not 'stuck here'," Alpha told him, a little taken aback by this, "I _want_ to be here."

He sighed, hung his head, and gripped the edges of the counter. "Why?"

Alpha came over and touched his shoulder, unsure how he would take a hug at the moment. "Because I love you, and because you _asked_ me."

He walked out of the kitchen.

She followed, but not closely. "Where's this coming from?"

Tooth Fairy sighed and turned to face her. "You're _trapped_ here because I cried like a baby and couldn't stand to be here by _myself!_ You shouldn't have to pick up the pieces every time I fall apart. And it just keeps happening! I know _why,_ but I don't know what to _do_ about it. I just...I thought I was _okay._ I really did."

He sat down on the couch, and Alpha sat down beside him.

"You were getting there," she reached over and took his hand, "until the stress got piled on and you were forced to tell people your private business. Ah, Roy...even _machines_ break down from time to time. But you're _not_ a machine, are ye?"

"No..."

"No...Machines don't feel anything." Alpha gave his hand a gentle squeeze, which he returned. "Ye reached a breaking point, and there's no shame in that. That was something that was happening _to_ you, not something you _did..._ and it wasn't your fault. Okay?"

"Then whose fault _was_ it?" He asked dully.

Alpha wanted to point the finger at the Fairies, but she didn't. That wasn't really fair, and no matter how much their gestures had hurt him rather than helped him, she couldn't presume to know the thought behind them. Perhaps Tooth Fairy was _right._ But it was just as possible that he hadn't been approachable all those centuries ago after Brinna disappeared, and they had searched for Brinna on their own without telling him. But now was not the time to point it out, and it was just speculation. "I think it's more a matter of circumstance than fault, really. Everything going on around ye culminated into what it ended up being. But about something you said earlier..."

"Hm?"

"Tell me...How long have you felt this way about your people?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head and looked down. "I don't know...I didn't even know I _did._ Not _really._ I...guess I kinda buried it."

"Aye...That's something to work on, I think."

"And if I buried _that..._ what _else_ did I bury?" He looked at her, and there was fear in his eyes. "Last 'night', I had a dream..."

She waited for him to speak, then gently prodded when he didn't, "What about, luv?"

"My dad was _right._ Crying _does_ make you a target." he told her.

"What do you mean?" She asked, letting go of his hand and putting her arm around him, just below his wings.

Tooth Fairy shook his head and looked away. "Never mind..."

But she didn't let it go. She didn't let _him_ go. " _Please,_ don't do that... _Tell_ me..."

He shook his head again, and buried his face in his hands. They were silent for several minutes, and finally he began to speak. "It wasn't just a dream...It was a _memory._ Every small-winged Fairy gets teased when he's a kid. But...I was the first boy to be born in the Tooth Fairy line, and when I started school...it was just next level, y'know? I don't like to advertise it, but pretty much everyone here knows my family has... _had..._ a good deal of money. The other boys like me would end up working in sanitation and whatnot, but not me. So...most of _them_ kinda turned on me, too. I acted like it didn't bother me. Learned that if I made jokes at my expense, got 'em to laugh, the teasing wasn't as bad. But sometimes it just got to be too much. My friend Connor was small-winged like me, and we'd been friends since we were babies, so he stuck by me when we were kids."

"Mm-hmm..." Alpha nodded, just letting him talk.

"So, one day, Connor and I are just roughhousing a little and he ends up with a black eye. His mother accused me of doing it on purpose, wouldn't even let me explain, and said we weren't allowed to play together anymore. And I just went off by myself, and...you know."

"Aye..."

He sniffled quietly and looked straight ahead. "Aiden and his friends found me and dragged me out of the bush I was hiding in. That was the day I learned what mud tastes like."

"Oh Roy, that's _terrible_...I'm so sorry..."

He shrugged. "Sure _tasted_ terrible. But they caught me crying, and it _did_ make me a target. And I forgot all about it..."

 _Maybe that's why crying scares him. Maybe he associates it with punishment!_ "Roy, they were _wrong_ to do what they did. And I get why Connor's mother was upset, but she was also wrong to _blame_ you. I'm not a fan of the phrase 'boys will be boys', but accidents like that _do_ happen. I'm sorry that happened to ye..."

He nodded, but still wouldn't look at her. "One of the guys who did it showed up earlier with a casserole his wife made. Acting all friendly, like he _didn't_ shove mud in my face when we were kids, or like he didn't make the joke, 'is wing size an indicator of'...well, you get the picture." He almost said, 'it isn't, by the way', but he caught himself in time. He had already said more than he'd meant to, and that would _definitely_ be TMI!

Alpha's hands flared bright orange as her anger bubbled up, but it didn't boil over.

He noticed, though, and looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you that. That was inappropriate."

"Roy...words like 'should', 'shouldn't', and 'inappropriate' can go play in the traffic, okay?"

This provoked a sudden snicker from him, and he hugged her. "Never heard _that_ one before!"

"Well, ye have now," Alpha hugged back, and her hands dimmed and soon stopped glowing altogether. "Maybe he's changed. People _do_ grow up. But I'd feel some kind o' way about havin' him show up on my doorstep, let me tell ye."

"Oh, I _definitely_ felt some kind of way about it." He agreed. "About _everything._ I just...Why _now,_ when it doesn't matter anymore? Why are they reaching out to me _now?_ I don't understand it."

She sighed. "Could be any number of things. Could be guilt. Could be they're just trying to do the neighborly thing people do when someone's ill or there's been a death in the family. I very much doubt they wanted to hurt ye by doing all this..."

He looked at her with tears in his eyes and shook his head. "But they _did._ "

Alpha put her arms around him. "I know they did..."

Tooth Fairy returned the hug and hid his face against her shoulder, crying softly. "They _knew_ she was gone...For over _four hundred years,_ she was gone, and nothing. Not _one_ word! But you wanna know what hurts even more?"

"What, luv?"

"They didn't help me _look_ for her...and it's like they expect me to just _forget_ that! I was going out of my _mind,_ wondering where she was, if she was okay. Would she ever come back? Did she have shelter? Was she able to find food? Were the strangers she met on the road being _kind_ to her? But the strangers she _did_ meet ended up _killing_ her..." He shook his head, unable to say anymore for a time. Eventually, he sniffled and sat back. "And I _still_ had to do my job, to keep these people hidden, people who didn't even _care!_ "

Alpha nodded gently. "It sucks."

He nodded back, still sniffling as he dried his face. "I don't want to hate them, but I _do..._ "

Alpha suspected that he didn't actually _hate_ them, or at least that he didn't _normally_ hate them, but she wasn't about to tell him how he felt. Instead, she _asked_ him. "Do you really? Hate them, I mean?"

He thought about it, approaching the thought from another angle. And his expression cleared a bit. "I...I hate what they _did._ Or _didn't_ do. And I hated not being able to just relax for a day and process things after that meeting. I hate that I _still_ can't bring myself to visit her grave, and the mayor got there first. I hate that they all know about her, when they didn't seem to give two hoots that she was missing. And if I ever hear that mail slot squeak again, I swear, I'm gonna get a new door and install a mailbox."

"Yes, I second that," She smiled at that last comment, which was almost-but-not-really a joke. She rubbed his back. "Feel any better after gettin' that out?"

He thought about it, and he was surprised to note that he _did_ feel a tiny bit better. "A little, yeah. I still feel bad about you being _stuck_ here..."

"Wouldn't you do the same for _me?_ " She asked him.

"Of course," he said without hesitation. "And if Father Time said no, I'd take my second warning, my third, and my suspension. I'd take it with a _smile._ "

Alpha could see that he meant it, and she was touched, but she shook her head and kissed him. "You _beautiful_ man. I won't have ye gettin' in trouble for me. But I love ye."

He returned the kiss, smiled at being called 'beautiful', and kissed her again. "I believe that's _my_ choice to make."

"Then it just won't come to that," She hugged him again. They left that 'argument' at a stalemate, and chose not to dwell on the hypothetical.

'Day' 8

It was laundry day for Tooth Fairy, or it would have been if time wasn't almost standing still for the rest of the world. Alpha was wearing her last clean outfit, so she needed to do laundry too, and he showed her how to use his washer and dryer. He need not have bothered, because he had taped the instructions to the wall so that he wouldn't forget them, and they were easy enough to follow.

"So, you just toss one of these pods in. Put in your clothes. Aaand, let's see..." He picked up one of his pairs of pants and read the tag. 'Machine wash cold, with like colors. Tumble dry low'. So, that's what I'll do..."

Alpha held back a smile. He _obviously_ knew how to wash these things, and she had read the instructions when he was sorting his laundry, but explaining things to her seemed to make him happy. Plus, he was cute when something made him feel important.

He turned a dial, dumped his pants into the washer, and pressed the button. "See? Easy-peasy!"

* * *

That 'evening' after dinner, while they sat on the couch and folded their clothes, Tooth Fairy kept getting up every so often to go down to the basement. He would stay there for a minute or two, then come up and resume folding without a word.

Alpha was having no such difficulty, since her system could tolerate just about anything she put into it, and the fifth time he came back, she smirked. "All right, luv?"

"Yeah, why?" Tooth Fairy shook out his trousers and folded them.

"Ye keep leavin' the room."

His cheeks turned red. "I'm fine."

Alpha shook her head and tried to contain her amusement. "Look, Roy, we know each other pretty well by now. I don't _care_ if ye break wind in front of me."

Tooth Fairy fumbled the pair of pants he had just begun to fold, then fished them out of the basket. "I don't _do_ that in front of ladies. And was it _that_ obvious?"

 _Not awake, you don't._ "No, not really, but your tummy's been making noise ever since we got into that three bean taco bake, so it wasn't hard to guess."

"Couldn't you just let me think you were blissfully ignorant?" He mumbled, then got up to leave again. He came back two minutes later, primly cleared his throat, and sat down on the couch. He could feel the couch jiggling a bit as Alpha held in her giggles, and he rolled his eyes. "Okay, go ahead, I know you want to."

Alpha 'snerked', then laughed a little before hugging him. "I'm sorry, luv."

"Yeah, yeah."

A moment later, with no early warning in the form of a sound, Alpha realized why he kept going downstairs and she moved from the couch to the dining room. " _Ew_...I rescind my previous permission."

"Excuse me."

"No excuse _for_ ye." She smirked.

"Hahaha! Really, I'm sorry, that wasn't on purpose."

"Mm-hmm."

He gestured with a finished sock bundle. "Y'know, most people would call that a relationship milestone."

"Most people don't have my nose." But she came back and sat down anyway. "Revenge for the teasing?"

"No, I _really_ didn't do it on purpose." There was a beat, then he chortled. "The 'not warning' part was the revenge."

Alpha whacked him with a throw pillow.

"Hahaha!"

They got back to folding their clothes.

The card totes now had a thin film of dust on their lids, and they remained in the basement where Alpha had put them.

* * *

That 'night', Alpha woke up and sleepily trudged off to use the bathroom.

A moment later, there was a short scream, and Tooth Fairy snapped awake in an instant. Alpha was gone, and...wait, the bathroom door was closed. He relaxed, but only a little. "Alpha, are you okay?"

"Ye left the _toilet seat_ up..." She groused.

He heard her moving around in the bathroom, and the urge to laugh nearly overcame him. " _Don't_ tell me..."

"I fell _in!_ "

"Oh, _no!_ " For the first time in quite a while, Tooth Fairy exploded into gales of laughter. In between gasps and guffaws, he tried to apologize. "Are you...hahaha! I'm sorry, are you okay?"

"Aye, I'm takin' a shower. Do me a favor and don't look when I come out? I didn't bring a change of _clothes_ in with me, because _why_ would I anticipate gettin' a cold arse?"

This got him going again, and he got out of bed and grabbed her duffel bag from the corner. "I'm putting your bag by the door, and I'll face the other way until you say so. Sorry about that!"

"Aye, thanks. Normally I'd put the seat down meself, but I was still half asleep..."

Tooth Fairy got back into bed and faced away, and he managed to keep most of his laughter in when he heard her retrieve her bag.

She eventually got back into bed, and he turned to pull her into a hug, but he saw that she looked moderately irritated.

 _Oh boy. First I pass gas in front of her, then she falls in the toilet because of me. And I laughed about it! No wonder she's mad._ "I really _am_ sorry, Alpha. Normally I'd remember, but I'm used to it being just _me._ "

Alpha could understand that, and she wasn't really mad at him. She just hadn't planned on taking a shower before going back to bed, and now she was wide awake. "It's fine, luv. I left some hair on the shower wall for ye to find later on."

"What?" He squinted, both confused and a little weirded out. _Women_ _ **do**_ _that?_

She snickered and reached for him. "Kidding. C'mere."

He shook his head and they cuddled up together under the duvet. _I'm really gonna miss this when we leave..._

'Day' 9

Alpha found the bed empty when she woke up, and after brushing her teeth she went downstairs to find Tooth Fairy sitting on the couch in his pajamas with a tote on the floor beside him. There was already a small stack of opened cards on the coffee table, and he glanced up at her when he heard the stairs creak.

"Hey, Alpha. I'd ask you how you slept, but..." He snickered.

She snorted and joined him on the couch. "Well, _that's_ not the way ye get a 'good-morning kiss'."

He leaned over to give her one anyway. She playfully pushed his face away, and he laughed softly. "Come ooon. I _said_ I was sorry. I even made sure it was down for you today and everything."

She relented and kissed him with a smile. "You're lucky you're cute. How are ye today, luv?"

He shrugged. He _was_ feeling better, now that he had had this much-needed 'staycation'. Despite the emotional turmoil, the rest had really done him a lot of good. And so had her company. "I'm okay. Just thought I'd give it a try, see if I could read these things and not lose it, and so far so good."

"That's good," Alpha picked up one of the cards he had already opened. "Mind if I look at a couple of these?"

"No, go ahead." He opened another card.

Alpha read through the stack on the coffee table, and she thought they were pretty standard for what they were. Most of them were simply signed, or had an added 'my condolences', but a few of them had personal little notes. There was one from someone named Siobhán, and it was clear that they knew each other.

 _'Dear Tooth Fairy,_

 _I wish I knew what to say, and after all this time I'm sure this is coming out of nowhere. I would have stopped by in person, but I'm sure others have had the same idea, and I don't want to intrude._

 _I am so very sorry! We used to have such good times, the four of us. Please let me know if there's anything I can do._

 _Your friend,_

Siobhán'

Tooth Fairy saw which card she had, and he guiltily looked away. "Ah...that's from someone I used to pal around with when we were kids."

"I gathered that," Alpha put the card back and took notice of his odd look. "What's with the face ye put on?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head. "S'nothing."

Alpha nudged his elbow. "Old flame?"

"Not even," He shook his head, still avoiding her gaze. "I was interested, and she wasn't. So, that was that. I mean, I got over it pretty quick, so I wasn't in _love_ with her, or anything, but..."

Alpha rolled her eyes. "Ye think I didn't guess that you'd had a life of some kind before I came along? You're actin' like ye did something _wrong._ "

"Well...not _wrong,_ just...embarrassing." Tooth Fairy covered his face, rubbed it, then turned to her. "Okay, you know how teenagers play stupid pranks on each other, right?"

"Aye?"

"Okay...well, someone, not sure who, figured out that I kinda liked her, and they got one of our classmates to write me a note. This guy could mimic peoples' handwriting pretty well, and...I thought she liked me back. So, 'she' invited me to meet her somewhere, and I went, and she never showed up. Ugh..." He rubbed his face again. "This is _so_ embarrassing...I went up to her the next day, and I was like, 'Hey, where were you?', and she had no idea what I was talking about."

"Oh, no..." Alpha winced.

"Yeah...Everyone but the two of us got a good laugh out of that one, and she turned red and wouldn't look at me for the rest of the day. Thought she hated me, but it turns out she was just as embarrassed as I was. And she didn't like me back. Not like that, I mean. So, she felt bad, and I felt _worse,_ and...it was just _bad._ We kinda drifted apart after that."

Alpha shook her head. "Ouch."

"Yeah..."

"I think _everyone's_ made a fool of themselves in front of their crush, though. Or, if they haven't, they will. I remember doing a pratfall into a mud puddle one time, and getting laughed at for it. Another time, there was a boy in the village I became friendly with. And I suppose he was rather bonny, too, if the other girls' interest in him meant anythin'. I thought things were goin' in a different direction than they were, and when he asked me if I wanted to go to the market with him I said 'I'd love you' instead of 'I'd love to'. See, I could speak English at that point, but I still wasn't the best at it, and I got a bit confused."

"Oooh..." Now it was Tooth Fairy's turn to wince, but he actually felt a little better about what had happened to him.

"And to make matters worse, he asked _me_ to go with him so's I could pick out what sort o' things my _sister_ would've liked for him to buy her. Turns out he liked _her,_ and not me. Jonet and I had _quite_ the altercation over that lad, and he turned out to be a _real_ numpty when all was said and done. He was courtin' the grocer's daughter a week later, and Jonet and I vowed to _never_ fight like that over a boy again. And we never did, either. So...bullet dodged, I guess?"

He was laughing now, and he shook his head. "I never would've pegged you as being a boy-crazy teenager."

"I wasn't. I was more upset about me sister sittin' on her high horse and makin' her little comments at me. We _both_ ended up lookin' pretty silly in the end." Alpha shrugged and sat back with her arms crossed, still looking rather sleepy.

He sat back as well, taking a break from the cards, and put his arm around her. "I haven't heard you talk about your siblings much. Is it...uh...difficult for you?"

Alpha leaned her head against his chest, fighting to stay awake. "It'll always be there, but it doesn't hurt like it did when it first happened. I actually _like_ talking about them, but...there aren't too many people who even know they existed."

Tooth Fairy thought he understood what she meant. He had begun to reach a place where he wasn't _okay_ with what had happened to Brinna, but he had accepted it and mostly forgiven himself for his role in her disappearance. He wasn't at the point where he _liked_ talking about her a lot, but up until that meeting in the clearing, he could still do it and not feel like he was on the verge of tears every time. Maybe it _would_ get easier for him, and someday he would _enjoy_ talking about the things he and Brinna got up to. "Am I one of 'em?"

Alpha draped her arm over him, hugging him like the large teddy bear he was. "Aye. And you know that if you ever want to talk about Brinna..."

"I know."

They sat there for a short while, and Tooth Fairy was about to go back to reading his cards when he realized Alpha had fallen asleep. He smiled softly, pulled the Bears afghan off the back of the couch, and carefully draped it over both of them. He kissed the top of her head. "Night, sweetheart."

'Day' 10

It was almost time for bed on the tenth 'day' when he finally finished reading the cards, and he was glad he'd made himself do it. He had no doubt that more would come when they left the Time Bubble, but now he thought that he could handle them.

Connor, Siobhán's nextdoor neighbor and his childhood best friend, had sent him a card with a message that left him sobbing. This was the only card that reduced him to tears, and Alpha was at his side in a heartbeat. "Roy, what is it?"

He wordlessly handed her the card and buried his face in his hands.

She rubbed his back as she looked at the card.

 _'Roy,_

 _My brother. There's really nothing I can say! I'm absolutely heartbroken, and I know it must be so much harder for you! Your sister was a treasure, and I know how much you loved each other. I'm sorry we weren't able to find her. I'm sorry you had to bear this alone for so long! I'm sorry we lost touch. I'm just_ _sorry._

 _I don't know the nature of your relationship with Alpha, and I don't need to know. I can see that she's been a great friend and comfort to you, and I suppose that's all that matters. I'm glad you met her. I hope to meet her too, one day._

 _Please, let me know at some point if we can meet up in person. I'd like to catch up, whenever you're up to it. Until then, just know that the old gang's thinking about you._

 _Love you, man!_

 _Connor'_

"Oh, that's sweet..." Alpha put the card down and pulled her crying boyfriend into a hug. "You okay, luv?"

"Yeah..." Tooth Fairy sniffled and hugged back. "Did you see what it said? It said 'we', not 'you'. They...they _did_ look for her! Or, at least, Connor did..."

"Aye..." Alpha hugged him until he was calm again, and he sat back and leaned his head on the back of the couch.

"If Connor looked for her, do you think I was wrong about the rest of 'em?"

"Maybe...but they didn't _tell_ ye. How could you have known?" Alpha pointed out, still rubbing his shoulder.

"Yeah...I guess. Wow...I don't even know how to _feel_ right now." He held out his arm, and she nestled in close.

"It _looks_ like ye feel _tired,_ " Alpha replied. "And no wonder...That's a load off yer shoulders, isn't it?"

"And _then_ some."

* * *

While they were brushing their teeth, Tooth Fairy thought back over the past ten 'days'. His mood at the start of it, and the mood he was in now, were worlds apart. And Alpha had been there with him every step of the way.

They got into bed, and he kissed her forehead. "You're a special lady."

She smiled, and kissed him on the lips. "You're pretty special yourself."

He sighed and closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her body next to his for what was probably the last time. At least, until he made it official, and only if she said yes. "I'm thinking about going back out tomorrow."

Alpha opened her eyes and looked at him. "If you're certain you're ready..."

He nodded. "I have some things I need to take care of...and I can't hide in here forever."

She smiled. "I'm proud of ye, Roy."

He smiled back and rested his forehead against hers. "I _will_ miss this, though."

Alpha caressed his cheek. "Well, you've been nothing but the perfect gentleman, luv...except when ye laughed at me for falling into the toilet."

He snickered, remembering that that wasn't the _only_ 'oops' he had pulled that night. "I _said_ I was sorry."

"Aye...Listen, if ye still want to do this after...As long as we don't cross that line, I think it's fine."

And he was _very_ tempted to take her up on that offer. But if they had _one_ moment of weakness, they could easily have another. And what if, for that next one, they didn't want to stop? They would regret it afterwards, and he respected her too much to do that to her. He smiled gently and shook his head, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "We already had one close call...and like ya said to me, you're worth waiting for."

And if things went the way he hoped they would, they might not have to wait for very much longer.

April 17th

Immediately after work, Roy swung by the Fairy Market and made his way to a shop that he never thought he'd have cause to visit.

As painful as it had been to confront his demons, and as terrifying as it had been to break down so completely, he realized that he had _needed_ that time away from the world to grieve. Holding on to so much resentment and denying to himself that it even existed hadn't been healthy at all.

He wasn't done mourning his sister, and he knew it. This wasn't going away. But he could bear it.

And Alpha had _stayed_ with him. With Father Time's help, she had created an environment where he felt completely safe to just let himself grieve, where he could just have quiet time with her, and where he _had_ no obligation other than to get better. He wasn't quite there yet, he knew. But he was ready to face the world again, and his first night back on the job had gone very well.

He _could_ face life without his sister going forward. And he hoped he could be as good for Alpha as she was for him.

Tooth Fairy entered the Minter's shop and glanced around the place. No one was there _this_ early, so he was the only customer. Display coins stood in glass cases for potential buyers to admire, and while they were nice, they weren't what he was after.

Edgar, a small man with a rabbity look to him, looked up from weighing ingots and did a double take. "Tooth Fairy?!"

 _Aaand let the judgments commence!_ "Morning, Edgar."

"Good morning. Sorry, we don't get men like you in here very often." Edgar thoughtlessly commented, referring to the small-winged men.

 _Maybe I can have some fun with this._ "Men like me?" Tooth Fairy deliberately missed Edgar's meaning. "In what way?"

"Uh..." Realizing that he'd been rude, Edgar cleared his throat. "Sorry, what can I do for you, Tooth Fairy?"

Tooth Fairy didn't correct Edgar about the name. Baby steps! "I'd like to have a coin made."

" _You?_ "

Tooth Fairy folded his arms and leveled Edgar with a look, but didn't actually say anything.

"Uh...uh, right, just let me..." Edgar turned aside to grab an order form. "Let's just fill this out here...Will this be the standard silver, or a custom order?"

"Definitely a custom order."

"All right..." Edgar checked off one of the boxes. "And what kind of metal would you like? Other options include; copper, iridium, palladium, gold, and platinum."

"Hm..." Tooth Fairy pondered his options. She always wore her gold locket, tarnished and battered as it was. He suspected that it was more out of sentiment than a liking for the metal, but it seemed like a good option. And platinum did _look_ a lot like silver, which was more traditional, and he liked sharing aspects of his culture with her. "Would it be possible to combine two of them?"

"Absolutely. Would you like them mixed into an alloy, or would you prefer a main color and a filigree design?"

"The second one."

"That's fine..." Edgar checked another box, then flipped the page. "Now, here are some designs to look over. Take your time." He was rather interested to see what the Tooth Fairy would pick...and morbidly curious.

"'Kay..." Tooth Fairy took the form and looked at it. He saw several designs he didn't think would work at all, and a few that he liked. The infinity symbol seemed too simple. Interlocking initials? Nah. Cute, but nah. He _did_ like the oak tree design, but he wasn't sure what it meant. And one other stood out to him. It looked like a Celtic design, and he tapped the page. "What's this one?"

"Ah! That's a Celtic wedding knot. Beautiful design. Now, the wedding knot has three different elements: two ovals interwoven with an Eternity knot. Each oval represents husband and wife; those are the first two elements. The Eternity knot represents eternal love. Therefore, the symbol taken as a whole represents the marriage of these three elements."

Tooth Fairy smiled. That was perfect! His eyes went back to the oak tree design. "And this one?"

"The oak tree. The ancient Romans thought oak trees attracted lightning, and they associated the oak tree with Jupiter and his wife, Juno, the goddess of marriage. It's said to represent fidelity and fulfillment. Another good choice."

Tooth Fairy privately wondered if Cupid could confirm any of this, then decided to leave Cupid out of it. "Hmm...Would it be possible to have one design on one side, and the other design on the other, like heads and tails?"

"Oh, yes. A lot of people ask for that." Edgar smiled. "It _will_ increase the price, though."

"That's fine."

"So, you're sure that's what you want, then?"

"Yup."

Edgar made a few notes, then flipped the page back over. "Now for the metals. Do you know what you would like?"

Tooth Fairy nodded. "Platinum background, with gold filigree."

"Mmm..." Edgar nodded and mildly raised his eyebrows as he jotted something down. "And who's the lucky lady?"

This brought Tooth Fairy up short, but he recovered quickly. "I don't wanna jinx things by telling people before I've even proposed, know what I'm sayin'?"

Edgar held up his hands, the pen clasped between his left index and middle fingers. "Just curious. I'll need you to sign at the X, and date it, please."

Tooth Fairy wrote 'Tooth Fairy', hesitated, then wrote 'Roy' in quotation marks. It wasn't necessary, and it was on impulse, but Edgar didn't comment on this. "And when will it be ready?"

"Well, unfortunately, there's a bit of a backlog. Lots of people wanting to do things at the last second. The Solstice is coming up in a couple months, and a lot of hopefuls are doing the same thing you're doing. But it should be ready by then."

"Oh..." Tooth Fairy frowned thoughtfully, then licked his lips and lowered his voice. "Um..I don't wanna jump the line, so I won't ask to be put further up on the list, but what are the odds that it _will_ be done by then?"

Edgar smiled. "Not to worry. You'll have it on time."

The Minter quoted a price, and it was a steep one, but Tooth Fairy nodded and handed over his debit card. After processing the sale, Edgar gave him a copy of the invoice. "All right, you're all set! We'll contact you when it's ready. Congratulations, and good luck!"

"Thanks!" Tooth Fairy grinned and walked out, ready for a shower and a nap.

Edgar turned to another one of the Minters, who had been working the other end of the counter and seemed to be battling with a slow computer system. "Hey, Chauncey! Double or nothing, it's the Werewolf."

"Yeah, probably. I've never seen him out with a girl, and this past year he's hardly been seen at all." Chauncey didn't seem to have much of an opinion on this.

"So, what do you think?"

"About him maybe being with the Werewolf?" Chauncey shrugged. "None of _my_ business. I just make the coins."

"Mm...I think he's jumping the gun. If she says no, he's out a _lot_ of money. And if she says _yes..._ well...not everyone's as understanding as they could be." Edgar seemed to be relishing this new bit of gossip.

"Pretty sure he's fully aware. Look, Edgar, are you going to finish weighing those ingots for me, or are you just waxing the counter with your butt for fun?"

Edgar rolled his eyes. "I'm just sayin'.


	36. Chapter 36: Taking Steps

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Tooth Fairy and Alpha chat over dinner preparation at his home, and while they eat he tells Alpha that he's decided to try seeing a therapist. The next day he seeks help from an unlikely source. Santa is skeptical, but Carol sticks up for Neil, and an unofficial appointment is made. Neil proves that he actually knows what he's doing._

 _Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional, and this is by no means meant to be an example of how an actual session would go. It's more like they somewhat know each other, so there's a bit of trust there, and Neil uses a few of the tools he has at his disposal to basically be a sounding board._

 _This is going up later than I'd planned, but I finally caught the cold everyone else had, so my energy level tanked. I didn't get it as bad as the others, though, and it seems to be on its way out. :)_

"Chapter 36: Taking Steps"

April 18th

Alpha was very happy to see that Tooth Fairy was in such a good mood when she responded to his invitation to come over. He greeted her with the usual hug and kiss, but something was different about him. There was almost a sense of _purpose,_ as if he knew something she didn't, but wasn't quite ready to share it yet. She followed him as he led her into his kitchen.

"So, what are we doing today?"

"I thought it might be fun to make dinner together. How do you feel about steak and twice-baked potatoes?" Tooth Fairy got out his skillet (not cast iron, because that would have been dangerous for him!) and set it on the stove; the potatoes would take a while, so he just left it there for the time being.

"Och, you're going to _spoil_ me!" She leaned against the counter.

"Darn right," he agreed, kissing her. "You deserve it."

Alpha hugged him again, then peeked at the recipe book he had sitting open on his counter. She got to work scrubbing the potatoes without having to ask where he kept them; she knew her way around his kitchen by now. "What should we do for a veg?"

Tooth Fairy, who was grating some cheddar cheese to be used in the potatoes later on, raised an eyebrow. "Aren't potatoes a vegetable?"

"Potatoes are a starch, luv."

"Mm...no, I'm pretty sure they're a vegetable." He hid a smile. Sometimes he just liked to mess with her, same as she did with him.

She chuckled. "All right, they're a _starchy_ vegetable."

He laughed. "I'm just givin' ya a hard time. We're also having Parmesan roasted green beans. Unless you don't like Parmesan. Or green beans."

"There are only two foods I really don't like, and Parmesan roasted green beans sound delicious." She took a fork and began stabbing at the potatoes, poking holes in them so that they wouldn't explode in the oven.

"What foods are they?" Tooth Fairy put the grated cheese into a container, popped a lid on it, wrapped the block of cheddar, and put these in the fridge. He washed the cheese grater.

"Mussels. And that really surprised me, because I like oysters and clams and such. Not that I've had them very often, but before I went to live in The Hollow we were sometimes able to get our hands on some. I've never been picky. But there's just something about mussels...I tried them a few times, just to make sure I still hated them, I guess, and I just can't." Alpha made a face.

Tooth Fairy grinned when she stuck out her tongue. _Man, that was cute!_

Alpha went on to add, "Andrew didn't like them, either. I guess he either got that from me, or wanted to emulate my reaction. So, Alexander got to stuff himself with one of his favorites while we had something else. It always worked out."

He nodded, somewhat envying her ability to talk about her family without seeming to get sad. He had just about reached that point himself, and then Aiden had decided to butt in. Maybe he would get there again someday. "That's one. What's the other?"

"Haggis. Ironically." They had a laugh about that, and she asked him, "Any foods you don't like?"

"Creamed peas and lima beans. I'm not very picky either, but I _hated_ it when my dad cooked lima beans. It didn't matter how he did it, either. I always choked 'em down without saying anything, because we were brought up to not waste food." Tooth Fairy preheated the oven. "I didn't try creamed peas until the nineteen-sixties. One of the previous Mrs. Clauses grew up during America's great depression, and she served it one night when I went to visit that Santa to discuss...something-or-other. I can't remember what now. And I didn't want to offend her, so I ate it."

"So considerate," Alpha teased, even though it was true. She was leaning against the counter, and he was leaning against the opposite counter near the sink while they waited for the oven to heat up.

"The trouble with _that_ was, since I cleaned my plate she thought I _liked_ it, so she made it every time I stopped by at around dinnertime." Tooth Fairy shook his head. "She was a _really_ nice lady, but if I ever have to eat creamed peas again, I'm gonna throw up."

"Well, now I know what _not_ to make you. Anything else I should know about? Favorite food? Food allergies?" Alpha placed the potatoes in the oven when it beeped.

Tooth Fairy set a timer to go off in an hour. "No food allergies that I know of. Like I said, I'm not picky, but I'm also not the most adventurous eater. Too scared to try sushi. And as for my favorite food? Hm...it changes, depending on my mood, but tonight's dinner is one of 'em. There's really nothing like a nice, rare steak."

"Hmm...that might be a bit of a problem. We don't really have beef in The Hollow, unless Robert or one of the others decides to be a klepto." She went into the living room with him, and they turned on the TV. "As they sometimes do."

"That's okay," Tooth Fairy put an arm around her shoulders. "Gemma's venison roast was out of this world, and if she was using your recipe..."

"I'll have to show ye how I do it! It's easy. And I think next time I'll use rosemary." She smiled a bit; Tooth Fairy was playing with her hair. It had been a long time since she'd had a man she loved do that!

"What do you wanna watch until the taters are done?"

"You pick. I don't really know any current TV shows."

"Okay," Tooth Fairy channel surfed for a minute or two before they settled in to watch Animal Planet.

* * *

Later on, as they sat at his table and ate their dinner, Tooth Fairy's mind turned to an idea he'd had while flying the previous night. His breakdown had been a wake-up call, and he didn't want to dump all of his problems on his girlfriend. Thinking back, it was obvious to him that seeing him like that had been very hard for her. This was something he still felt guilty about, and he had come to a decision to take a more proactive approach to his own mental health.

The trouble was, he didn't know where to turn at first. It would have to be someone he wasn't likely to run into in his town, so a Fairy therapist was out. Plus, his trust in most of his people just wasn't very high. He knew that wasn't really fair, but that was simply how he felt. He didn't trust a Fairy therapist because of his unique set of problems, and because of his relationship with Alpha. He would have to leave too much out, which would basically defeat the purpose of going altogether.

He had briefly considered seeing if there was a therapist at the North Pole who would be willing to see him, but he wasn't sure he wanted that either. He knew Santa's Elves were adults, but most of them looked enough like children to make him feel a bit uncomfortable about it. But something had occurred to him as he arrived home that morning, and he brought it up with Alpha when he realized he had been quiet for too long, and she seemed like she was about to ask him what as up. He skewered a sautéed mushroom and a bite-sized piece of steak, and ate it before speaking. "I've been thinking."

"Hm?"

"Well...about seeing a therapist." He pushed his food around on his plate with the tines of his fork, not looking at her.

"Ah." Alpha nodded thoughtfully.

He wasn't sure what he expected her to say, but her neutral response made him nervous. "So...what do you think?"

Alpha didn't want to sound too enthusiastic about it, but she didn't want to seem dismissive, either. She didn't want to admit it, either to him or to herself, but their time in the Time Bubble had been emotionally draining for her. The cuddling had been nice, and so had their bonding time, but the reason why they were there had made her so _sad_ for him. She would do it again in a heartbeat, and she was _glad_ to have been able to help him through it, but she had been so afraid of saying the wrong thing! And seeing him in so much pain, knowing that she couldn't make it go away, had broken her heart. She reached over and laid her hand on his forearm, and he put down his fork and took her hand. "I think if you feel like you need to do this, you should."

"I just don't want you to think...well...that your being there wasn't enough, or something." He finally looked at her.

She gently shook her head. "I don't think anything o' the sort. I think it's _good_ that you know what you need, and that you're going for it. And I'm _glad_ to be there for you. I _love_ you. But I'm not trained to do what a therapist does. Maybe they can help you where I might not be able to."

He smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I love you, too. And thanks..."

"For what?"

"For taking it so well, I guess. I mean, I'll have to talk about _you._ "

"The horror," she deadpanned, then leaned over and kissed him. "You do whatever you need to do, luv. I'm here to support ye."

"So, it's...not _weird,_ or anything?"

"No," she said firmly, "it's not. It's something I wish we had in The Hollow. You're taking _care_ of yourself. What's weird about that?"

He smiled. "Well, when you put it _that_ way, I guess there's nothing weird about it."

While they were talking, their food had gotten cold, but it somehow tasted better to them than it had before when they started eating again. He was so relieved! And she was proud of him for taking this step. Conversation eventually turned to a light-hearted debate about whether or not Pluto was a planet, and it continued as they cleared the table.

"They had _all this time_ to make up their minds, and suddenly in 2006 they decide that Pluto actually _isn't_ a planet?" Tooth Fairy shook his head as he went to put his plate and cutlery in the sink. "Gimme a break..."

"Don't change the rules in the middle of the game, in other words?" Alpha followed him into the kitchen.

"Something like that."

She stood with him at the sink and grabbed a towel to dry their dishes when he handed them to her. "Change is a constant, luv. They probably didn't have enough information to know when they first called it a planet. And there's still the word 'planet' in the name. It's a _dwarf_ planet."

"Nahhh." He shook his head, grinning as he played along. "Don't like that. It's a planet."

"All right, _here's_ one for ye; if Pluto's a dog, then what the blue blazes is Goofy?"

This question was so unexpected and random that Tooth Fairy laughed fairly hard at it. "Oh, _Gods!_ "

"What? I'm serious." Alpha's grin said otherwise, and she lightly swatted his arm with the dish towel. This only got him laughing harder, which started them on a laughter feedback loop, and before long they were both laughing so hard that they couldn't stand up anymore. They doubled over and sank down to the kitchen floor at the same time, wheezing and gasping for air.

Alpha caught her breath just long enough to warble, "M-I-C-K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!"

They were both cry-laughing at this point, and that just put him over the edge. He slapped the floor and slumped over sideways, holding his stomach. "Ow...ow!"

Alpha weakly laid a hand on his back, and they eventually spluttered to a stop.

He sat up again, his hand still on his belly. "Ohhh, wow...Alpha, you just about killed me!" He leaned his head against her shoulder.

"Can't say I'm sorry, luv. I like hearing you laugh." She kissed the side of his head as they leaned back against his cabinets.

"Shouldn't laugh that hard on a full stomach." He chuckled, then had a slight 'aftershock' of laughter. "Ohhh...no, I'm not doing _that_ again!"

Alpha couldn't help herself. "Aye...but seriously, what _is_ Goofy?"

"Please, no more!" He giggled weakly and waved his hands.

"All right. C'mon, let's finish the dishes." She stood up and took his hand. "Can ye stand after that?"

"Yeah." He kept a grip on her hand as he got up, but he did so under his own power. He had needed that laugh! "But, to answer your oh-so-serious question, I always thought Goofy was a dog."

"Fair enough."

April 19th

Tooth Fairy arrived at Elfsburg at around noon, and after a bit of asking around he managed to track down Santa. Santa and Carol were in Buddy's nursery, and it was Carol who answered his knock.

Carol was expecting it to either be Bernard or Curtis, but she was pleasantly surprised to see the Tooth Fairy. "Tooth...Oh, I'm sorry, _Roy,_ what brings you here?"

Tooth Fairy smiled at her little blunder. Evidently, Santa had explained the name situation to her, but he knew it would take some time for it to become habit. It mattered to him that she was trying! His smile faded when he saw that they were enjoying a family lunch. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your meal..."

"Oh, no, it's fine." Carol stood aside to let him in.

"Uncle Molinator!" Buddy crowed; his speech was a little bit clearer now.

Santa quickly wiped his mouth and got to his feet. "Hey, get in here!"

Tooth Fairy chuckled and exchanged a man-hug with Santa, each of them receiving two rough thumps on the back. "Santa. Hey, Carol." He briefly hugged her as well, then waved at the little boy who hadn't gotten up from the low table. "Hiya, Buddy!"

"Hi! You want my chicken nuggets?" Buddy held up a nugget, dripping with ketchup. "I'm full."

"Oh, no thanks." Tooth Fairy waved a hand. "It's real nice of you to share, but I already had lunch today. I just came to talk to your dad for a minute."

"Okay." Despite his claim of being full, Buddy ate the chicken nugget before grabbing another one in each hand and leaving the table.

Carol shook her head. "There he goes again. Buddy, sit at the table to eat."

Santa smirked as she followed their son over to the toy box. While his wife was busy with Buddy, he turned to Tooth Fairy and nodded for him to follow. If Tooth Fairy just wanted to shoot the breeze, he would have called first. Something was up.

Tooth Fairy followed Santa out into the hall, and he was glad to see that no one else was there. "Sorry this is kinda out of the blue. I would've called, but...this isn't the sort of thing I wanna talk about over the phone."

Santa got a good look at Tooth Fairy's face, and he jumped to the wrong conclusion. "Oh, no...Alpha broke up with you, didn't she?"

Tooth Fairy squinted. "What? _No!_ Where did you get _that_ idea?"

"Sorry," Santa realized he'd put his foot in his mouth. "You just had this look, like something was wrong. Is everything okay?"

It annoyed Tooth Fairy that Alpha dumping him was the first thing that sprang to mind, and he considered just turning around and leaving. But he had been known to say the wrong thing from time to time himself, and he brushed it off. "Yes, and no. No one's in danger or anything, but...it's kind of been a rough couple of weeks. I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor."

Santa remembered how Tooth Fairy had saved Christmas by bringing him and Carol together at the Pole so that they could straighten their situation out, and he didn't hesitate. "After everything you've done for us? All you gotta do is name it."

 _Here goes...everything._ "I was wondering if you could get Neil on the phone, and ask him..." He cleared his throat. Gosh, this was hard! With Alpha, he knew he could just say whatever was on his mind, even if he had to gear up to it a bit, but this was so much different. This was him admitting vulnerability to another _guy!_ "Okay, don't laugh, but I was wondering...I need to _see_ someone. And he's the only one I could think of..."

There was an awful moment of silence when Santa simply _stared_ at him. Then the deliverer of presents put a hand over his mouth and stifled a snicker.

Tooth Fairy got very red in the face and turned to go. "Forget it..."

Santa immediately scrambled to correct his mistake, stopping Tooth Fairy's departure with a hand on his shoulder. "Whoa, hold on, hold on, hold on. I didn't mean to laugh, and I wasn't laughing at _you._ It's just...Neil's kind of..."

Tooth Fairy stopped, but he still looked annoyed. "Kind of what?"

Santa removed his hand from Tooth Fairy's shoulder and sighed. "Look, I've had him try to analyze _me,_ unsolicited, and he was _way_ off the mark...okay, _mostly_ off the mark."

"Sounds like you're not his biggest fan," Tooth Fairy observed, dryly. Neil seemed okay to _him,_ but then again, there was no sense of rivalry there.

"He's...an okay guy, I guess," Santa forced himself to admit. "He _means_ well, in a sort of hippie kind of way. Before Jack froze him and Laura, he was teaching the Elves _yoga._ And we didn't always get along. I'm his wife's ex, after all, and he's Charlie's stepdad. We only really started to get along when Lucy was born."

Tooth Fairy thought Santa was being overly critical of the man, but he could understand why. That family dynamic would have caused some friction, no matter _how_ well they got along, and they would have had more than their fair share of awkward moments! It was clear that Santa was somewhat biased, but Tooth Fairy still had to ask. "So, you think it's a no-go?"

"I don't know. Personality clashes aside, I haven't seen him legitimately do his job."

"Oh..." Feeling rather defeated, Tooth Fairy folded his arms and looked down in thought.

But Santa wasn't done. "Let me get on the horn with him. Maybe he can recommend someone who'd be a better fit."

"No...Thanks, but I don't want to bring unknown humans into this. It's not just _me_ I have to think about."

"Hm..." Santa stroked his beard. "Have you tried The Hollow? It's a long shot, but maybe one of the former humans used to be one."

Tooth Fairy looked up and shook his head. "There aren't any. Alpha said she wishes there were."

Carol, who had overheard their conversation, left Buddy to his toys and went to the doorway. "I don't think you're being fair, Scott. Neil likes to push your buttons sometimes, but he's met Roy, and he's actually pretty good at what he does."

Santa was skeptical. "'Pretty good'?"

"Well, the Elves who took his yoga class all say so."

Tooth Fairy grinned at the mental image of himself trying to do yoga. "I don't think I can bend that way without throwing my back out."

Carol giggled a bit and shook her head. "It wasn't _just_ yoga. Because of the toy shortage and everything else that was going wrong that year, some of them just really needed to _talk._ He was there for such a short time, but he really seemed to have an impact."

Santa was gobsmacked, but he quickly recovered. "Huh...Well, if you want, I'll call him up and see if he'll see you off the record."

"Thanks."

* * *

Neil was surprised to be receiving a call from Scott, but after pleasantries were exchanged and the reason for the call was made known to him, he was privately stoked that _the Tooth Fairy_ of all people would come to _him_ for help. He agreed to the visit before Santa had even finished asking him. "Are you kidding? It'd be an honor!"

"Great! That's...that's great." Santa's voice betrayed his doubts, but he quickly went on, "When would it be a good time for him to drop by your office?"

"I'm not _at_ my office. I took the week off to get a few things done. I should be home by three today, so if he can make it, I'd say...about three-thirty?"

There was some indistinct conversation before Santa replied. "Yeah, he can make it. He wants to know your fee."

Neil gave a short laugh; he sounded almost giddy! "Since he's not human, officially this session won't even be happening, so it would be unethical to charge him. Just tell him to be at my house at three-thirty. Oh! How's he going to get here in the middle of the day? Does he drive?"

"Uhhh...have you ever heard of a Fairy Ring?"

3:30 PM

Tooth Fairy knew where the Miller home was, of course, having stopped there for years to collect the baby teeth of both Charlie and Lucy. Lucy and Laura were at the mall, according to Neil, and Charlie was away at college, so at least there would be some privacy for this.

Neil's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets when a Fairy Ring appeared in his living room, and a very uncomfortable-looking Tooth Fairy stepped out of it. "How did mushrooms just...sprout out of the _floor?_ "

Tooth Fairy looked back at the Ring, then over at Neil and shrugged. "Magic. How else?"

 _Duh._ "Right...Well, welcome to my home. Looks different in the daylight, huh?"

Tooth Fairy dismissed the Ring and responded in kind when Neil came forward to shake his hand. "Yeah, it does. Thanks."

"Would you like some tea, or some coffee?"

"Coffee, please." Tooth Fairy rubbed the back of his neck. "Are you sure you wanna waive the fee? Because I can pay, and I feel like I _should_ pay."

Neil beckoned for Tooth Fairy to follow him into the kitchen, and he talked as he brewed a fresh pot of coffee. "You pretty much saved Christmas that one year, _and_ you funded my comic book addiction for a while when I was a kid. It's on the house."

"Heh!" Tooth Fairy hit upon an idea that was sure to satisfy both of them. "Tell ya what, I've got a bunch of old comic books from the sixties. They're not in mint condition, but they're yours if you want 'em."

Tooth Fairy didn't have to push. Neil's eyes lit up; here was an offer he could accept without feeling any professional guilt, and Tooth Fairy's sense of fairness would be satisfied. "All right, it's a deal. And if you ever want them back, just let me know."

"Nope. A Fairy always honors a fair trade, and they're just sitting in a box in my basement. Someone should enjoy them, and I haven't looked at them in years."

"Thanks. How do you take your coffee?" Neil took a carton of half-and-half out of the fridge and reached for the sugar bowl.

"Black."

Neil handed Tooth Fairy a mug of black coffee, added cream and two sugars to his own, and once again he gestured for Tooth Fairy to follow him. "Come on, we can go sit in my study. It's the closest thing to an office I have here."

"Sure."

Tooth Fairy was already having second thoughts about this, and when he saw the tiny decorative fountain on Neil's desk he wondered if Santa was right. _Maybe this is a mistake..._

Neil set his coffee mug on the window sill next to one of the armchairs and retrieved a pen and a legal pad from his desk, and it was only then that he noticed that Tooth Fairy was standing in the doorway with a 'deer in the headlights' look on his face. "Go ahead and have a seat."

Tooth Fairy did as he was told, taking a sip from his mug as he made a beeline for the other armchair. _I collected this guy's baby teeth. This is_ _ **weird!**_ "Um...Listen, Neil, I know I _asked_ for this, but...I don't mind telling you, I'm pretty uncomfortable with this."

"That's not uncommon." Neil sat down across from Tooth Fairy and clicked his pen. "So...Tooth Fairy..."

"It's 'Roy', actually. I prefer the nickname, if you don't mind." Tooth Fairy smiled apologetically.

Neil scribbled out 'Tooth Fairy' and wrote 'Roy' right next to it. "'Roy' it is. Like I said, a lot of people are a little uneasy when they first see a therapist. New person, new environment...well, I suppose that isn't really the case here. Would it help if we treated this _more_ or _less_ like an official session?"

Tooth Fairy slowly shook his head as he thought about it. "I don't know. This is new to me."

"Mm-hmm." This wasn't the first time he'd seen someone start to get cold feet. "You're here voluntarily, right? That means nobody's forcing this on you. But if you _choose_ to proceed, I can promise you this; nothing you say here will leave this room. I won't even discuss it with my wife. _You're_ in control here. Okay?"

This relieved him somewhat, and since he was already there he decided to go ahead with it. "Okay...well...where should I start?"

"Well, maybe you can elaborate a little bit on how you came to this decision. What brings you here?"

Tooth Fairy sipped his coffee again, then put down the mug. He chewed the inside of his cheek as he looked out the window, and he watched the cars go by as he began to talk. "I'm thinking about proposing to someone...but there's something I've been dealing with, and I just wanna make sure...I don't know."

"Well, first of all, congratulations," Neil smiled.

"Thanks."

Neil started making notes in shorthand. "You mentioned going through something, and wanting to make sure of something...?"

"Yeah..." Tooth Fairy tried to tune out the fountain, which was tinkling away in the background. "I guess I should start from the beginning."

He gave a very abridged version of what happened in The Hollow, how he met Alpha, and that he learned his sister had been killed there (At this point, Neil offered his condolences, which he accepted). He made no mention of Fairy wings, nor of the power they held. Instead, he told Neil about how he and Alpha had gotten back in touch in January, and how she had been there for him.

"She sounds like quite a lady."

"Yeah, she is. I don't know _how_ a guy like me ended up with someone like her, but...after we spent some time getting to know each other, we realized we had feelings for each other, and we've been dating ever since."

Neil smiled at that. "You say you don't know how, but I think you summed it up pretty well. She saw you for who you were, and something just 'clicked'. It happens."

"I guess that's true." Tooth Fairy conceded, then sighed. "The problem is, I've kinda been leaning on her a lot. We _both_ went through our own things, and I've been there for her too, but she seems to be doing the lion's share, and that really bothers me, y'know?"

"Mm-hmm," Neil nodded and wrote some more. "Has she said anything to you about this? About whether or not it's impacted her in any way?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head. "No...no, she's been great. I honestly couldn't have made it through this week without her." He smiled, remembering how she had taken control of the situation Aiden had caused, and how she had made him feel like things would turn out all right in the end, but then lost his smile again when he recalled his breakdown. The guilt for how much stress he must have put her through resurfaced. "But I _know_ it's impacted her, and something happened a few days ago...I think I had a nervous breakdown."

Neil's expression turned to one of concern. This was the _Tooth Fairy_ saying this. He squashed this judgmental thought and ignored the man's wings and title. This was a man who was in distress, and who had come to him for help. "That term's a little outdated, but can you describe what happened?"

Tooth Fairy squirmed a little in his chair. Even now, he had trouble admitting how bad it really was. "I just...kinda lost it."

Seeing that Tooth Fairy was having trouble articulating his thoughts, and having the idea that he was a little sensitive about his masculinity (and maybe a little sensitive in general), Neil tried to put him at ease by acknowledging the obvious. "This is uncomfortable for you."

"It's _really_ uncomfortable." Tooth Fairy eyed the legal pad. His secrets... _Alpha's_ secrets...had been committed to paper. If Lucy went snooping, or if Laura happened to clean in here, they could read about everything. This didn't feel safe... _He_ didn't feel safe.

Neil saw the look, and correctly interpreted it. He nodded. "I get it."

"Ya get what?" Tooth Fairy blinked.

Neil tore out the page he had been writing on and got up to put it through the shredder. When he came back and sat down, his hands were empty; the notebook and pen were back on his desk. "All right...That was more to keep the details straight, and was mostly out of habit. I guess if we need to revisit something, or I need clarification, I can just ask you. Roy...I can tell that it isn't easy for you to open up, particularly with another man, but I'm _not_ here to make you uncomfortable, and I'm not here to judge you. I'm just here to listen. So, if you really want me to help you, I'll need to know exactly what happened. Otherwise, I'm flying blind."

Now Tooth Fairy smirked and fluttered his wings, which couldn't be seen from the street, so he didn't bother hiding them. "Flying's _my_ department." They chuckled briefly, and he sighed. "Okay...Alpha and someone I grew up with got into a bit of a scuffle, which he started, and long story short, we had to present ourselves to the mayor of my town...in _front_ of the entire town...to tell them what happened. I can't go into the reasons why, but there was no way to avoid mentioning my sister's...what happened."

"Mm-hmm..."

Tooth Fairy took a deep breath and let it out again. "And the next day, people started dropping things off at my house. Cards, gift baskets, casseroles, and knocking on my door _all day._ I sleep during the earlier part of the day, but I got no sleep _that_ day. It was just...knocking, knocking, knocking, and I couldn't _take_ it anymore." His anger began to show now, although he wasn't raising his voice. It showed in his eyes, and in the way he gestured as he spoke. "It was _private._ It was _my_ family member, my baby sister, and they never even helped me search when she went missing. Then they made it all about _them,_ or so it felt at the time."

"It was an intrusion." Neil nodded, not putting words into Tooth Fairy's mouth, but merely summing up what he said.

"It _was!_ I found out later on that an old friend of mine _did_ look for her, so I don't know how many of them did or didn't. They never told me, so how could I know? And with all the stress of the previous week...and all that knocking...not being able to sleep, and the fact that now they all _knew_ what happened to Brinna, I just..." But he couldn't say it.

He didn't have to. Neil nodded again. "You broke down." It wasn't a question.

Tooth Fairy nodded and looked down, folding his hands on his lap. "Gods...for centuries, I never cried. It wasn't the 'manly' thing to do. But since last November, I've been doing it a lot. And that day..." He shook his head, embarrassed to be admitting this to another man. "It just kept coming, and I couldn't make it stop."

"Were you alone when this happened?" Neil certainly hoped not!

"No, Alpha was there. She never should have had to see that. I've cried on her so many times, it's pathetic." He drank the last of his cooling coffee, then shrugged. "So, what have I got? Am I going crazy?"

Neil folded his hands and leaned forward. "'Crazy' is a four-letter word with five letters, not a diagnosis. I'd have to give you a psychological evaluation if you _want_ an official diagnosis, and that would take a while. We can certainly do that, if you have the time. But no, you're not 'crazy' at all. You said you hadn't cried in centuries?" _I can't even imagine being_ _ **alive**_ _that long!_

"Nope. Got a little misty-eyed at weddings, but that's about it. I don't think that even counts."

"Not really," Neil agreed with him there. "A _lot_ of men don't like to be too emotional. Part of it is our upbringing, and part of it is just how we're wired. Men in general cry less often than women due to our differing hormones, and then it usually doesn't last as long, but we _do_ cry. It's a _release._ It's normal, and it's healthy. Grief is one thing that can cause it, and when the grief is brought on by something so traumatic, like with you...it can really throw a guy off."

Another guy knew he sometimes cried, and the world hadn't ended. Tooth Fairy began to relax. "Well, it definitely did _that._ And some of it, I sort of blocked out until that day and the aftermath. Bits and pieces are coming back to me, and...I know what I want to say, but I don't know how to put it."

Neil shook his head thoughtfully, and he wondered if the Tooth Fairy had ever been shown healthy ways to process his grief before Alpha came along. "Well, it's clear that you've been holding on to a lot of pain. And holding it in for as long as you did, it makes sense to me that recent events are causing some things to surface."

This was somewhat frustrating to hear. He already _knew_ that. What he wanted was a way to make his outbursts stop. "But I don't _want_ to keep doing what I've been doing. I want to get back to how I was _before._ I mean, I'm usually a pretty happy guy! Sure, I've had my ups and downs, but I was in a really good place until everything came crashing down around me. And Alpha...she _saved_ me. In more ways than one. She saved my life down in The Hollow, and now...she's saved me from _loneliness._ I've finally found my other half. I want to marry her eventually, but I also want to be...well, she deserves a man who has all his ducks in a row, and mine are scattered all over the pond."

Neil smiled. "You mind if I steal that one?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Well, you've already made a step in the right direction by taking the initiative to seek help, but now I have to ask; are you doing this for yourself, or are you doing it for her?"

Tooth Fairy thought about it for a second or two, then answered truthfully. "Both."

"That's good. It's fine to want it for her, but you also have to want it for yourself."

"I do," Tooth Fairy nodded. And he _did._

Tooth Fairy had the time, so Neil gave him a full psychological evaluation. It took a while, with Neil asking questions and checking boxes when Tooth Fairy answered them, and giving clarification when Tooth Fairy asked for it. And, finally, Tooth Fairy received a tentative diagnosis. "Granted, you're not human, so this should be taken with a pinch of salt...but I believe you have PTSD and Anxiety."

"PTSD and Anxiety..." Tooth Fairy repeated to himself. "I would've thought OCD would be on there because of the floss-winding."

"No, I think the floss-winding stems from anxiety and from your profession; the need to fidget, coupled with the fact that your job makes you more interested in dental hygiene than the average joe. You happen to carry floss with you at all times, and you wind it around your finger for use, be it to floss your teeth or to wind around your other finger. It lets the rest of you be still and calm, if you can focus on that one thing. I'm a little hesitant to say that you have depression, since those symptoms were brought on by recent events, but we'll just keep an eye on that."

"Huh..." Tooth Fairy blinked. This was quite a revelation! He always thought he just liked winding his floss, but now that he really thought about it, there was no real enjoyment in that act. It was simply something he did when he felt antsy! "So...what can I do about it?"

"That's something we'll have to work on, if you're up for it."

"Yeah," Tooth Fairy smiled. _I'm not crazy. And I know what it is!_

"I'd like you to come and see me once a week for the next three months, and then we'll see where you are. Are Saturdays good for you?" Neil retrieved the legal pad to write down Tooth Fairy's appointment time.

"Yeah, but I'm usually in bed until around three. Is that gonna be an issue?"

"Nope, no problem. We'll work around your schedule. How's this Saturday at four sound?"

Tooth Fairy's smile turned into a grin. "Sounds good to me!"

 _Note:_ _We've been in April for quite a while now. Time to move on to May!_


	37. Chapter 37: May and May Not

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Mayor Kendrick finally pays his disgraced nephew a visit and lays down a few ground rules. While he's there, he learns that the rumor mill is buzzing about something new._

 _Meanwhile, a nice day at the mall ends on a serious note when the subject of marriage comes up. Alpha reluctantly tells Tooth Fairy about her conversation with Mayor Kendrick, and her own stance on the subject of having children. Later on, he discusses it with Neil and gets his thoughts sorted out._

 _And on another serious note, stay safe, wash your hands, and practice social distancing. I cannot stress this enough! Virtual hugs to anyone who needs one!_

"Chapter 37: May and May Not"

May 1st

Half a month passed sleepily in the Fairy Town as the weather grew warm and people wanted to be out and about, but one person was notably absent. Mayor Kendrick had tried knocking on Aiden's door after returning from The Hollow, but there was no answer, which hadn't surprised him. Whether he was justified or not, Aiden was angry, and so Mayor Kendrick had left. _He'll calm down eventually._

But Aiden had maintained radio silence for fifteen days, and now the mayor was worried. He had hoped that his nephew would come to him at some point to discuss a few matters, but this hadn't happened. So, on the first of May, the mayor rang Aiden's doorbell.

This was only a formality; he intended to go in either way, and after ringing the bell for a second time he thought it might actually come to that. Then he heard movement from within, and after seeing who it was Aiden opened the door and blocked the doorway with his body.

"What do you want?"

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Mayor Kendrick said mildly.

Aiden drummed his fingers on the doorjamb, then turned and went inside without a word. Mayor Kendrick followed him and closed the door.

Aiden's house wasn't quite as opulent as his uncle's, and his style was more modern, but it was clear that he liked his creature comforts. An expensive flat screen TV was mounted to the wall, and an equally pricey stereo system was nearby. The living room was enormous; the perfect size for hosting a large gathering of people.

It was also clear that no one had cleaned in there for quite a while, and dust had begun to accumulate on the mini bar. The cloying stench of an overflowing garbage can permeated everything, and Mayor Kendrick coughed and covered his nose with a handkerchief. "What happened in here?"

"Shelby quit. I've been looking for someone to take her place, but for some reason I'm not getting any bites. Even the _Carriers_ want nothing to do with me. As if _they_ have a right to be snooty, given their-"

"Well, whose fault is _that?_ " Mayor Kendrick picked up a dirty plate and went into the kitchen to put it in the sink, but he halted in his tracks when he saw that not only was the sink full to overflowing, but the kitchen counter was piled high with even more dishes. He waved his hand in front of his face, shooing away a cloud of fruit flies as he shook his head in disgust. "Aiden, I did _not_ raise you to live like a pig!"

Aiden couldn't be bothered to follow. "When was the last time _you_ lifted a finger to clean up after yourself? You always had servants to do it. And it was the _servants_ who raised me, not you."

 _The boy has a point._ Mayor Kendrick sighed and began to load the dishwasher. "Having no desire to live in squalor, I wouldn't have let things get this bad. Have you no pride? Get in here and help me with this."

Aiden snorted and turned on the TV. "I never learned how to do any of that, and there's no point in starting now. Give it a few more weeks, and I'll find someone to take the job."

"Not with your current reputation, you won't."

While his uncle worked in the kitchen, Aiden flipped through the channels and tried to tune out the clattering of dishes. He casually sprayed some air freshener as Mayor Kendrick stalked through the living room with three bulging trash bags in his hands, and he pursed his lips in annoyance as the man passed in front of the screen. "Why are you here, anyway? To rub it in?"

Mayor Kendrick put down one of the trash bags so that he could open the door, and he stuffed them into the garbage can before coming back in and washing his hands. Then he sat down beside his nephew, took the remote, and turned off the TV.

"Hey, Jerry Springer's on!"

" _Enough._ "

"Excuse me?"

"You are acting like a _child._ Your house is a pigsty, and you _still_ haven't apologized for making me look like a fool!" The mayor put the remote on the coffee table, then moved it away when Aiden reached for it.

" _I_ made _you_ look like a fool?" Aiden's face darkened. "That small-winged moron poisoned you against me! You couldn't just take my word for it, could you? Your own nephew."

"It's a good thing I didn't. That Werewolf is on the Council of Legendary Figures, and if we didn't do right by her and by the Tooth Fairy, Mother Nature would have gotten involved. We do _not_ want to get on the bad side of a woman who can literally control the weather. The attack, I could understand. It was a reckless thing to do, and I don't condone it, but I _do_ believe you thought she stole someone's wings. But it didn't stop there. You lied to my face, and I _wanted_ to believe you. You've broken my trust, Aiden. Every misfortune that came home to roost for you was your own doing, and you know it."

Aiden glared at his uncle, and a small staring contest ensued, but he broke eye contact first. "I might have lied to you, but I never turned on you."

Mayor Kendrick's own face darkened, and he stuck a finger in Aiden's face. "I _didn't_ turn on you. There were too many witnesses for me to just this go. You left me with no choice!"

"If that's what family loyalty means to you..." Aiden shrugged and walked into the kitchen, then came back with a beer. He didn't offer one to his uncle.

"That's emotional blackmail, and it doesn't work on me. Not anymore." Mayor Kendrick got up and stood in his nephew's path. "You _are_ my family. And I should have been more involved when you were little, instead of giving you treats to make you be quiet and palming you off on the servants. That was a far greater sin than this so-called betrayal. I did you wrong. And now I'm going to do right by you."

"How's that?"

The mayor took a deep breath; he knew this wouldn't be taken well. "I've halved your allowance. If you wish to maintain this lifestyle, you must find work."

Aiden's eyes grew round. "I never learned a trade. You _can't_ be serious!"

"I'm as serious as a heart attack. You never learned any responsibility, and it's high time you did. Tooth Fairy works himself to the bone every night to keep _your_ ungrateful carcass hidden from the human world. If he can do that without complaint, you can muster up the fortitude to find something here. And _leave the Werewolf alone._ "

Aiden snorted. "You know who _isn't_ leaving her alone? Tooth Fairy."

"I already know about them."

"Oh, really? Did you know he had a coin commissioned?" Aiden crushed the empty beer can in his hand. "He's going to _marry_ that animal."

 _Oh, no._ The mayor's face fell. Aiden had been proven a liar, but he wasn't lying this time.

"You _didn't_ know." Aiden snorted and shook his head. "I suppose you're going to let him get away with it. What about his job? Who's he going to pass the torch to without kids of his own?"

Mayor Kendrick recovered his wits and ran a hand over his balding pate. It was stuffy in there, and it still reeked of garbage and Lysol. He held off on cracking open a window, though, because he didn't want their conversation to be overheard. "That was never something I considered to be a possibility, given his small-winged status. If we were to take that particular law literally, it only says 'the firstborn child'. It didn't say anything about that child being a blood relation. So long as he chooses an heir before he dies, whether or not he fathers any natural children is not an issue."

"So, you're just fine with him taking up with that...woman?" Aiden caught himself at the last second, seeing his uncle's warning look. "You're not worried about her people becoming a problem?"

"Whether or not I'm 'just fine' with it is irrelevant. It's happening, regardless of what we think."

"Unless we do something about it."

The mayor scoffed and folded his arms. "What would you have me do, nephew? Cupid could tell you; the heart wants what it wants, and they want each other. Don't make that face."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing. From _you_ of all people. Or do you _want_ winged Werewolves flying around and biting people?" Aiden got himself another beer.

Mayor Kendrick remembered what Alpha had told him, and he was at least sanguine about _this._ "If they're anything like their mother, they'd be about as likely to bite as I am to sprout roots and turn into a tree. She's _harmless._ And as for her people and that place?" He waved a hand. "Inconsequential. They're not numerous enough to be a threat, and there's nothing they have that we would want. And, given that she's their leader, he would most likely have to move _there._ Ether he'll do that, or that will end up being a deal breaker for them and they'll go their separate ways. So, do as I told you. _Leave them alone._ "

"Fine...but how am I supposed to clean this place when I don't know how?"

Mayor Kendrick sighed, ready to get out of there. "I'll send Julia over to teach you. And you are not to mistreat her."

When the mayor left, Aiden polished off his beer and picked up his phone. He dialed a number and sat down on his couch.

"Hello?" said a voice on the other line.

"William, hi. Listen, you want to make some easy cash?"

"Does a one-legged duck swim in a circle?"

Aiden propped his feet up on the coffee table. "I need you to keep an eye out for the Werewolf. If you see her in town, with or without the Tooth Fairy, make a note of what she's doing...or what _they're_ doing...and report to me. And let me make this very clear; I want _details._ "

"Uh-huh...And how long do I do that for?"

"Until I say so."

May 6th

So far, the therapy was going very well, and Tooth Fairy had yet to miss a session. With April behind them and June ahead of them, he and Alpha took full advantage of May's warming weather. They hadn't been back to the Fairy Town (at least, not outside of his house), but they still met up most days to walk a nature trail.

One overcast day, Tooth Fairy said that it looked like rain, and he took Alpha to one of his favorite shopping malls instead.

The first thing Alpha noticed was the conglomeration of scents, and she inhaled deeply, forgetting to be subtle about it.

Tooth Fairy noticed this, and grinned. "What are you getting from that?"

"Oh..." Alpha flushed and looked down, covering her face, then grinned back. "It's just a lot to take in."

"Heh...well, my sense of smell is about even with a human's. What are you noticing that I might be missing?"

"I thought I caught a whiff of pizza, or maybe pasta..."

"Uh-huh. There's a Sbarro's at the other end of the mall. They have both. What else are you getting?"

She snickered. "Are you makin' fun o' me?"

"No, I'm genuinely curious!" he chuckled.

"Umm..." She sniffed again, then wrinkled her nose. "Eugh! Disinfectant? And...sour mop." Several moments later, as they came around a corner, they saw a cleaning bucket surrounded by a few caution signs. No one was cleaning anything up; it was just sitting there. "Aye, that's mildew, all right. _That's_ not so pleasant."

"You smelled that all the way from the entrance?"

"Aye. And did ye notice that the woman who walked by us a moment ago was wearing a spritz of flowery perfume?"

He blinked in astonishment. "No. She was about twenty feet away." He thought back to that day in January when Curtis had dropped her off at his house, and his face grew hot. He had definitely been able to smell himself at the time, so he could only imagine how bad he must have smelled to her!

"Most of what I smell here is nice," She continued. "Sort of a mixture of Chinese food, burgers...and I think I can smell cinnamon and frosting. Candles...Oranges from that smoothie place over there..."

"Orange Julius." He said, helpfully.

"Aye, that. I could go on, but I'm probably boring you."

"Actually, I was just thinking about how glad I am that I showered before we met up..."

"Och," Alpha kissed his cheek. "You _always_ smell nice."

"Not _always._ "

Alpha remembered that he had gotten rather sweaty when his magic was in Flux, but she hadn't held it against him. "Ye get a free pass when yer sick, luv."

Tooth Fairy shrugged. "I wasn't sick the first day you visited my house, though."

Alpha slipped her hand into his. "Ye think I haven't been there, Roy? I _have._ I'm glad ye didn't see me the day I arrived at The Hollow. I looked like somethin' Omen dragged in, and I probably smelled about the same."

He gently squeezed her hand, and decided to change the subject. "C'mon, let's see what we can see. I wanna show you the bookstore. I think you'll really like it."

She still felt funny about letting him spend money on her, especially now that she knew he had quite a lot of it. It made her feel like she was taking advantage of him even though she wasn't, and it was something she just couldn't get past. Still, books occupied a sort of gray area with the two of them. They both enjoyed reading when they had the time, and they generally had the same taste in books, so when she showed interest in a copy of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' they did the usual social dance of him offering and her declining.

"Okay," he winked, "I think I'll get it for myself, though. I heard good things about it. Wanna borrow it when I'm done?"

"Sure!"

"Great. C'mon, let's go pay, and we can have lunch." He was glad she at least let him do _that_ for her. They had cooked for each other several times after that steak dinner at his place, and she had finally become comfortable with letting him treat her to lunch on the surface. He didn't take any of her reluctance personally; he knew that she and her people had had to go without many times, and with the ban on Christmas only recently having been lifted, accepting non-edible gifts of any kind was almost a foreign concept to many of them.

Alpha and Tooth Fairy left Panda Express after inhaling a sinful amount of Chinese food (or what passed for Chinese food at that restaurant chain), and they linked hands as they strolled from one end of the sprawling building to the other. The mall wasn't as busy as Tooth Fairy remembered it being just a decade ago. Certainly, there were more vacant store fronts now! "Boy, I remember when you couldn't walk five feet without having to squeeze by someone."

" _I_ don't," Alpha smiled ruefully. "This is the first time I've been to a shopping mall."

"Get outta town! Really?" He had trouble believing that!

"Mm-hmm. Grocery stores or hardware stores, aye, but a place like this? The clothing is too pricey to be practical for us," she explained as they passed by a Spencer's Gifts. The bright, colorful sign and interesting trinkets that they could see from outside drew their attention, and they decided to check it out. They wandered in to look around, then hustled right back out again when they spotted the risqué stuff way in the back. Alpha held back a laugh at her boyfriend's incandescent blush. "Well, _that_ was interesting!"

"I am _so_ sorry. I had no idea...I've never been _in_ that store before!"

Now, Alpha _did_ laugh. "Well, I'm not a _prude,_ luv."

" _I_ am..."

She spotted a photo booth just then, and it was more to change the subject than out of genuine curiosity that she pointed at it an asked, "What's that?"

"Hm?" He looked, then brightened. "Oh! That's a photo booth. Wanna get our picture taken?"

"Sure, that sounds like fun."

They crowded into the booth and sat on the bench, and Tooth Fairy drew the curtain closed. "Well, this is cozy. Now, let's see...How this thing works is, you put some money in here and just follow the prompts on the screen. I think this one will spit out a strip of four."

Alpha read the instructions silently to herself, her lips moving unconsciously in a way that he found rather charming. "Okay, so, there's a timer...How should we pose?"

Tooth Fairy chuckled. She was taking it so seriously! "The point is to just have _fun_ with it. You could smile normally, or do something silly. I think you've got 'silly' covered."

He pointed at her T-shirt as he said this. It was purple shirt with a pun-laden paragraph painted on it in yellow.

 _'_ Sweet dreams are made of cheese

who am I to diss a brie?

I cheddar the world and the feta cheese

Everybody's looking for stilton'

This shirt of hers was by far his favorite, followed closely by her 'Free Hugs' one. Eurythmics was one of his favorite bands from the late twentieth century, and changing the lyrics of 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)' to include a slew of cheese puns was delightfully...well... _cheesy._

Alpha looked down at her shirt, then laughed and bumped her shoulder against his. "Should I say 'cheese'?"

Tooth Fairy fluttered his unseen wings; he didn't quite dare to make them visible for the pictures in case someone whipped open the curtain. It was very likely that they would simply assume that he had on a pair of fake wings, but he had no desire to try and explain _that_ one. "Sure, if you want. Just have a 'Gouda' time with it."

Alpha made a face and groaned. "That's _terrible!_ I love it."

The pictures came out well, and they looked at them after the machine spat out the strip.

The first one was a normal-looking pose; Tooth Fairy had his arm around her, and they were cheesing for the camera.

In the second one, they were caught in mid-conversation; both of them were talking at once as they playfully argued over what they should do for that one. They both ended up looking pretty silly there.

They were giving each other bunny ears in the third one, and in the fourth one he had turned his head at the very last second and was caught giving her a peck on the cheek.

"So, who takes these home?" Alpha held the photo strip behind her back and grinned.

Tooth Fairy pretended to make a grab for it, and she nimbly dodged him. "I guess that means _you_ do." Alpha offered it to him, but he waved it off. "Nah, you keep it. Oh! Actually, do you think I could keep the top one for my wallet?"

"Sure, as soon as I can get hold of some scissors. I don't want to risk tearing it."

He took a pen knife out of his pocket and opened the little scissor attachment. "Will this do?"

"Aye, it should." Alpha grinned and cut off the topmost picture on the strip, giving it and the knife back to him. He pocketed the knife and slid the picture safely into a plastic sleeve of his wallet. She noticed that the only other pictures he had were a picture of him posing with Santa, a candid shot of him in a formal white jacket with a red flower in his lapel, and a magazine clipping of a little orange kitten. "What's the story behind those, luv? If ye don't mind my asking."

"Oh, I don't mind," He smiled. "The one with me and Santa was just Carol testing out a new camera he gave her."

Alpha grinned at that one. Tooth Fairy and Santa must have been in a silly mood that day, because they were flexing like bodybuilders as they playfully tried to outdo each other. "Was the posing _your_ idea?"

He winked. "Yes if you were there, and no if you weren't. I just happened to be visiting that day to see the baby, and we were just kinda goofing around. This other one was taken at their wedding."

"You're very handsome there." She told him. "You look a little tired, though."

He gave a bashful shrug. "Yeah, well...That was a busy night for me, but to sum it up, her father couldn't be there to give her away. There wasn't enough time to get him there, or even tell him beforehand. Since I was already in the area, Mother Nature called me back and I stepped in." He was too modest to mention his own involvement in getting Santa and Carol back together, and admitting that he had helped save Christmas that year felt too much like bragging. "It's kinda funny, because there wasn't much time to dress up for it. I literally just had time to grab a formal jacket and get rid of my hat hair. I still had my normal clothes on underneath! Mother Nature provided the flower."

"Well, it's hard to tell it was a rush job."

"That's because they got me from the waist up. I'm still wearing my work pants. It was pretty funny."

Alpha smiled and pointed at the kitten cut-out. "What about this one? It looks like it's from a magazine."

"Oh, that..." Tooth Fairy put his wallet back in his pocket. "It's an ad for kitty litter."

"What?"

"Heh...well, I know it's silly, but that cat looks just like the one I had when I was a little kid. And since I don't have a picture of Pumpkin, I saved the magazine clipping..." He blushed.

"Aww, you named him 'Pumpkin'!"

"'Her', actually," Tooth Fairy smiled.

"I don't think it's silly at all." She looped her arm through his. "So, you're a cat person?"

"I dunno. I like most animals, really. But my sister and I found Pumpkin and her littermates one morning. We snuck out of the house to wait for our mother to come home from work. That was the day she told us about finding _you._ Can ya imagine that?"

"I can imagine quite a bit."

"Well...anyway, a few days later...I _think_ it was a few days later, but this was a long time ago. Brinna came in with Pumpkin and two of her five littermates bundled up in a jacket. Some kind of animal got their mom and the others, and they were still nursing, so our dad let us keep the kittens and feed them until we could find homes for them. But that never ended up happening. Their names were Pumpkin, Walnut, and Apple. I think our dad got attached, too." Tooth Fairy smiled softly, remembering how tender Fergus, his father, would sometimes behave around little Apple when he thought no one was nearby. "It wasn't unusual to find Apple napping on his chest if he fell asleep somewhere."

Alpha nodded, glad to see that he could remember these things and smile about it. "Bet you wish ye had a camera _then!_ "

He nodded. "Yeah...I wish cameras _did_ exist back then. I could show you what my family looked like, instead of just trying to tell you."

"I know what ye mean."

They walked past the mall's water fountain, and Alpha noticed the coins sitting at the bottom. Most of them were copper pennies, but she could see a glint of silver here and there. There was even a dollar bill lying at the bottom near one of the lights. "Why would humans throw their money away like that?"

He smiled as they sat on the granite wall that surrounded the fountain. "Every coin represents a wish. They take a coin, make a silent wish, and toss the coin in. Usually, it's a penny. Something small. It's just for fun, really. I've made a few wishes myself."

Alpha smiled back. "It's a nice idea, though. A fun game to play. But what happens to the coins? I mean...I imagine that they'd pile up after a while."

"From what I heard, they either get donated to a local charity, or they go towards fountain upkeep. But don't quote me." He shrugged, then dug around in his pocket. "How would you like to make a wish?"

"Hm...What did _you_ wish for in the past?"

"Can't tell ya." He gave her a cheeky smile.

"Why not?"

"It's a rule. If you tell someone what you wished for, your wish won't come true." Of course, he had never told anyone what any of his wishes were, and only one of them had come true, but he didn't take it all that seriously.

"Hm. All right, then. I know what to wish for."

"What?"

Alpha smirked. "Can't tell ye."

"Heh, touché. But if you didn't make the wish yet, I think it's okay." Tooth Fairy handed her a penny, envisioning the same thing taking place during the Summer Solstice with a very _special_ coin. He wondered how it would go! He was sure of how he felt about her and how she felt about him, but there was still a tiny element of doubt. She could say _no._ After all, they had only been dating since Valentine's Day! That wasn't very long at all.

"Nice try, Wintergreen." Alpha held the penny in her fist for a moment and closed her eyes. _I wish for us to end this year better than how we started it._ She tossed the coin into the fountain, and it hit the water with a tiny 'plop' before sinking to the bottom.

They had already seen everything they wanted to see, and Tooth Fairy gave her knee a pat. "C'mon, let's go outside and walk off this enormous lunch."

"Sounds good to me." She linked her fingers in his again, and gave him a peck on the cheek before they got up.

They passed a bridal shop after they left the mall, and his thoughts once again turned to marriage. That tiny bit of doubt resurfaced. Why _was_ he in such a hurry to propose to her? It wasn't the physical aspect of things, he knew; he had gone without _that_ for five hundred years, and he could wait a little longer. Even if that never happened, he just wanted to _be_ with her. And they had plenty of time, didn't they?

 _But what if we don't? What if something happens? Maybe I_ _ **am**_ _rushing into things. We haven't even known each other for a full six months. And she's had three mates, but didn't marry them. I wonder why, though..._

"You've got that look," Alpha told him as they approached a park. It wasn't 'their' park, but it was beautiful all the same, and they naturally gravitated towards it.

"What look?"

"That look that either says 'I ate too much', or 'there's something on my mind'."

Tooth Fairy snickered. "Right on both counts...I want to ask you something kinda personal. And you don't have to answer."

She shrugged. "Ask away."

He licked his lips as he gathered his courage. "Well...you've had three mates in the past. How come you never got married?"

Alpha hadn't seen that coming, but she recovered quickly. "I don't mind answering that one. Well...part of pairing off with Alexander meant becoming what he was. We _could_ have had a ceremony, but we were only _posing_ as humans, and it wouldn't have actually been legal. And we were together, regardless. I don't need a ceremony or a document to tell me who my mate is."

Tooth Fairy nodded slowly, just taking it in. He was more comfortable with the idea of a wife than a mate, but either way he hoped she would say yes when he eventually did ask her. If only he wouldn't screw up and ask her at the wrong time...

She continued. "And with Gerald and Brian, it was just a personal choice. Weddings _do_ happen in The Hollow, but they aren't mandatory, and our weddings are only recognized _there._ I guess what we have down there is more in line with the human common law marriage." Alpha glanced over at him, noticing his introspective mood. "Why d'ye ask?"

He blushed and looked away. "No reason. Just wondering."

Her pulse quickened. _Is he thinking about_ _ **us,**_ _or is he just curious about_ _ **them?**_ "Is that all it is?"

He stopped, and they looked at each other for a long moment. "For now. I was just...y'know, thinking ahead a bit. Hypothetical stuff."

"I see." She remembered her conversation with Mayor Kendrick and her own resolve to be honest with Tooth fairy, and her stomach dropped. Given his mental state up until the past week or so, it never seemed like a good time to bring it up, and eventually she had simply forgotten about it. He was doing a lot better now, though, and if he was seriously thinking about asking her to marry him at some point, she owed him the truth. _He has the right to make an informed decision, same as anyone...and I'd want him to tell_ _ **me.**_

He saw hope in her eyes, which made his spirits soar. But then he saw dread, which made him wonder what she was worried about. "Is something wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

"No...you didn't say anything wrong."

Tooth fairy easily read between the lines. "But something _is_ wrong. What is it?"

Alpha craned her neck to look at the path ahead of them (he turned to do the same, wondering what she was looking at), and then she turned to look back the way they had come. Seeing no one close by, she led him over to a stone bench on the side of the path. It was bracketed and backed up by thick yew hedges, so they were more or less hidden from view.

 _Uh-oh...If she's asking me to sit down, it can't be something good._ "What?"

"Okay...so, you were asking me about marriage."

"Well, just hypothetically. I wasn't leading _up_ to anything." He ran a hand through his hair, which had recently had a trim. _Did I already blow it?_

"Well...I'd like to get this out in the open _now,_ before things go that far. It's about children." Alpha folded her hands in her lap.

Tooth Fairy shook his head in confusion. "But you know we _can't_ have children. It's possible we could adopt at some point, but it's _way_ too early to be thinking about that."

"No, I agree. Except..." She was finding it harder and harder to get the words out. "It's something Mayor Kendrick said when we were alone."

"Did he threaten you?" Tooth Fairy's eyes hardened.

"No, he didn't. He told me that humans and Fairies _have_ had children in the past. The very _distant_ past, if virtually no one knows about it. And I'm not human, but I used to be. So, it _might_ be possible. In theory. But-"

"Wait...what?" Tooth Fairy listened as she repeated herself, and even after she had, he still wasn't sure he heard right. "If this is true...why would he _lie_ to us? And how is he the only one who knows?"

Alpha shook her head. "I'm guessing the lie is only to keep the Fairy race going. And I don't know if he's the only one who knows or not. He's just the one who told me. Do you think he'd lie about _that?_ "

"I...no. I guess if it was switched around so that he was saying, no, it isn't possible, _that_ would be lying. Why tell you it's possible if it isn't true?" He broke eye contact and stared straight ahead, his face drawn and pale. _Humans and Fairies can have kids? What_ _ **happened**_ _to them?_

Alpha waited for him to speak, but he didn't. She touched his shoulder, and this startled him. "Are you all right?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head. "I don't know. I just learned we've been living with a _lie._ I guess I get _why,_ but...it's a lot to swallow."

"Aye..."

"So...we _can_ have kids?" He began to look hopeful now, but frowned when she looked down. "What is it?"

"When I tell you this...I want you to know that I'll accept whatever you decide to do from here."

Tooth Fairy put a gentle hand under her chin and turned her head so that he could see her face. "Now you're really starting to scare me. What's _wrong?_ "

Alpha took his hand and licked her dry lips with an equally dry tongue. "I _can't._ "

He didn't understand. "You can't what?"

"You don't know what it's like...to carry a child in your body, to love it...and then _lose_ it. _Twice._ I can't go _through_ that again. I'm sorry, I just can't." She looked down at her hands, her dark brown eyes brimming with tears. "I _know_ how badly you'd like to be a father someday. If ye want to go after hearing that, I won't stop you."

Tooth Fairy's heart turned over in his chest, and he shook his head. He pulled her close and held her tight. " _No,_ Alpha...no..."

She turned and hugged back, resting her cheek against his chest. "I know it's selfish of me, but I just _can't._ I'm sorry...You could be throwing away your chance to have children..."

" _What_ chance? A Fairy woman wouldn't want to have my children because of my wings. And I don't _want_ a Fairy woman. Or a human, or a Sprite. I just want _you..._ And if you ever _did_ change your mind about having kids-"

"No..." She shook her head.

 _That was a quick no._ Tooth Fairy nodded, knowing that this was something he didn't have the final say in, and understanding why she was against it. He knew that pregnancy was taxing on a woman, both physically and emotionally. And he understood that childbirth was incredibly painful, and that he, as a male, would never be able to understand it firsthand. He couldn't imagine losing a child! Or having one, for that matter.

The image of him cradling a newborn while Alpha rested after a long delivery flitted into his mind, and he pushed it away. If he wasn't sure if he was ready to propose or not, he knew he wasn't anywhere _near_ ready to become a father, whether she was willing to carry his children or not! "Okay. It'll just be us, then. C'mon, it's okay..."

 _He's disappointed. I can hear it in his voice._ "No, it's not...You _deserve_ that, and I can't give it to you..."

 _I think it hurt her a lot more to tell me this than it hurt me to hear it._ Tooth Fairy rubbed her back as he shook his head again. "Sweetheart, you don't _owe_ me that. I never thought it was possible anyway, so really, nothing's changed, right? I _love_ you. Let's just enjoy _each other_ for the time being, okay? And if we did get married someday, I'm _fine_ with it being just us."

"I love you, too..." Alpha sniffled and wiped her face without breaking the hug, then nestled in closer. "You mentioned adoption..."

"Yeah...what about it?"

"I _might_ be open to that someday. I've raised a few Halloween orphans over the centuries..." She sniffled again, remembering her lost sons and daughters who now rested in the cemetery. Their descendants still roamed The Hollow. It had hurt just as much to lose those children as it had to lose her own biological babies, but pregnancy and birth had been extremely hard on her, and the terror of having another stillborn baby simply wouldn't leave her. But to adopt a child? Yes...she could do that again, if he had his heart set on it.

He kissed her hair, an odd mix of powerful love and intense sorrow squeezing his heart. "My beautiful Alpha...We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, let's just focus on _us._ "

"Aye..."

May 8th

Tooth Fairy and Neil had already fallen into a sort of routine, and they sat in the study with their coffee after he greeted the Miller family. Laura had sent them in a plate of homemade peanut butter cookies, and Lucy was sent upstairs to work on a book report that was due next Friday.

"So, the weather's been great. Have you had a chance to get out and enjoy it?" Neil asked, dunking a cookie into his coffee.

"Yeah. I usually spend a lot of time outside, if it isn't raining. Except when I'm working, then I have no choice." Tooth Fairy smiled wryly. He eyed the plate of cookies, then finally caved and took one. He could brush his teeth when they were done here.

"Did you do anything interesting this week?" Neil bit off a mushy chunk of his cookie.

"Mm-hmm." Tooth Fairy's mouth was full, and he swallowed before speaking. "Alpha and I spend a lot of time going on nature hikes. And on Thursday, I took her to the mall."

Neil saw a subtle change in Tooth Fairy's expression, and he furrowed his brow. "How did that go?"

Tooth Fairy shrugged. "It went great, at first. We just sort of walked around and looked at things. Had lunch. Did the whole 'photo booth' thing. Hey, you wanna see a picture?"

"Sure." Neil took the photo Tooth Fairy held out, and he smiled. Tooth Fairy had his arm around Alpha, and they were leaning into each other as they smiled for the camera. She looked significantly younger than Tooth Fairy, but Neil knew from previous conversations that there was only a two year age gap. "Nice to have a face to go with the name. Are you sure she's a Werewolf? She looks pretty normal to me."

Tooth Fairy laughed and nodded. "Trust me, I'm sure. Transformed, she's bigger than I am! You should see her with little kids, though..."

Neil handed back the photo, and he noticed that Tooth Fairy seemed wistful when he said that. "They're not afraid of her?"

"Pff, nah. Well...there _was_ this one time. The Founders told some of the kids that Alpha would eat them if they didn't behave, and the poor tykes believed it. Alpha set the record straight as soon as she found out, but she was pretty upset about it..." He folded his hands and looked out the window.

Neil shook his head. The thought of anyone intentionally harming a child disgusted him. And he remembered how he and Laura had unintentionally harmed Charlie when Scott first became Santa and they didn't believe. The emotional damage they had caused while trying to do the right thing was bad enough, but it sounded to him like those two Dark Elves had actually _enjoyed_ causing pain. "Any decent person would be."

"Yeah..." Tooth Fairy sipped his coffee and leaned forward. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Okay, well, you're a married man, right?"

It was a rhetorical question, but Neil answered it anyway. "Yes."

"Well...Alpha and I have only been dating since Valentine's Day, and we've only known each other since last November. And the Summer Solstice is June twenty-first. It's sort of a Fairy tradition for proposals to happen on that day. It's not a rule or anything, but...do you think it's too soon?"

Neil pursed his lips and thought as he leaned back in his chair. "That's really up to the two of you. For some, it's _way_ too soon. Others know early on what they want."

"That's not really helpful. No offense." Tooth Fairy dunked his cookie as he spoke, but he wasn't paying close enough attention and when he went to take a bite half of it plopped back into the mug. "Aww..."

Neil snickered and cleared his throat. "Sorry. You can go get a spoon for that, if you want."

"It's fine." Tooth Fairy ate the bit of cookie he held, and sipped his coffee again.

"Getting back to what you asked me, there's really no easy answer. It's about what's right for _you._ But the fact that you're asking me that is very telling. And I think it's a good sign. It means that, whatever you decide, you're putting a lot of thought into it."

"Uh-huh...Excuse this." Tooth Fairy had drained his mug, and he tipped his head back to let gravity take care of the cookie mush at the bottom of his cup.

"You're fine. You know, a colleague of mine met his wife in a bar over thirty years ago. They talked for hours, exchanged numbers, and after two weeks he went away to work for a few months. He was the head cook on an oil tanker before he changed professions and got into psychiatry. They talked on the phone as much as they could get away with during the time he was away, and he proposed when he came back. She said yes, and they were engaged for a little over a year before they married. And they're still going strong."

Tooth Fairy couldn't fight back a smile. He didn't like to advertise it in case he got some teasing for it, but he had always been something of a hopeless romantic. "Why'd he change professions? To be closer to his wife?"

Neil nodded. "Yeah, in part. But the final straw was actually his daughter. I think she was two years old, and they were going to take a vacation somewhere. He set out his suitcase to pack, and the poor kid misunderstood, because this was what he did whenever he was getting ready to go back on the ship."

"Oh, no..." Tooth Fairy winced.

"Yeah...He came back and saw her sitting by the suitcase with her head down, and these huge tears running down her cheeks. And when he picked her up and asked her what was the matter, she said, 'My daddy's going away again'. And then they were _both_ crying. It just got to be too hard, so he took night classes and got into a different line of work." Neil took another cookie.

Tooth Fairy shook his head, "That's gotta hurt...but I won't have to worry about that."

"What do you mean by that?"

Tooth Fairy hadn't meant to say that, but Alpha had told him that she wouldn't impose any restrictions on him for these sessions, other than to not disclose the location of The Hollow. He certainly hoped he hadn't misunderstood her! "Up until a few days ago, I thought Fairies couldn't have children with other races. It's what we were all told, going back I don't know _how_ many generations. Then Alpha and I just found out that we _could_ probably have children together...but she's afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

Tooth Fairy offered up a silent apology to Alpha, then pressed forward. "A long time ago, long before we knew each other, she had a mate. Another Werewolf. They had two children together. The first...well...didn't survive the birth. And her son lived to be five, but The Founders somehow let it slip to the humans that there were Werewolves nearby, and...Alpha came home to find...well...she was alone for a while after that."

Neil tried to conceal how horrified he was at hearing that, but it must've shown on his face, because Tooth Fairy nodded.

"I know. There's no getting over that. I don't need to have had it to know that. It was the mayor who told her the truth about kids, and I think she didn't tell me before because I was in kind of a bad way."

"And how do you feel about that?" Neil asked.

Tooth Fairy shrugged. "I don't know. I know _why_ she told me, but...to be honest, I almost wish she'd kept it to herself."

Neil nodded and asked, "Are you angry with her?"

Tooth Fairy scoffed. "Of _course_ not!"

"But you seem conflicted..." Neil persisted, and when Tooth Fairy said nothing, pressed, "Do you in any way resent her for not wanting to have children?"

"No, I..." Tooth Fairy began, but that wasn't entirely true. He put his analytical faculties to work and turned the matter over, examining it from all sides. "I don't resent _her._ I resent what happened to her to make her feel this way. If it hadn't, we wouldn't have ended up together, but...I'd give all that up if that meant she could've watched her son grow up. And I resent the mayor for telling her. There was no _reason_ for it, or at least there was no reason I can think of. She said she would be open to adopting a child, but...I don't know. It's too soon for that, and it got me wondering if I should propose as soon as I was thinking of doing."

"Hm." Neil nodded again. He took a moment to digest this before speaking again. "Well, I think you're approaching this from a very healthy place. You want what's best for _both_ of you."

"But I think she feels _guilty._ "

"She very well might, but neither of you did anything wrong."

"So, what should I do?"

Neil finished his coffee and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Exactly what you've been doing. _Be_ there for her. Listen to her, and be a 'safe' person for her to confide in, just as she's done for you. It sounds like you're already doing that. That's what marriage is all about; taking _care_ of each other. A spouse, or a mate, or whatever name you choose to call yourselves, that's your _life partner._ No relationship is perfect, but that's why you put in the work to get past these hurdles. And you do it together."

Tooth Fairy nodded slowly, taking it all in. "So...should I propose on the Solstice, or wait a bit?"

"Hmmm...I'd say there's a bit of work to be done before you're stable enough to embark on such a venture. But a proposal is not a wedding. It's a promise to marry in the future, and the two of you are the only ones who can decide how far in the future it'll be."

"So, that's a non-answer," Tooth Fairy chuckled.

"My answer is, it's up to you." Neil smiled back. "And my question is this; do you want to spend the rest of your life with this woman?"

"Yeah. I do. And I think she feels the same."

Neil's watch beeped, signaling the end of the session, and he silenced it. "Then hold on to that coin when you get it, and just wait to see how things play out. I think you'll know what to do when the time comes. Staying for dinner?"

"No thanks, I'm taking Alpha to a seafood restaurant. She likes it, but hardly ever gets to have it." Tooth Fairy picked up his mug to put it in the dishwasher, but Neil took it from him.

"Here, I'll get that. Take care, Roy."

"Thanks, you too."

 _Note:_ _I actually have that T-shirt. And I'm a little bummed that I can't go out and show it off! Say safe, everyone!_


	38. Chapter 38: Prejudice and Pizza

"A Strange Bond"

 _Note:_ _Alpha and Tooth Fairy take a brief stroll through the Fairy Town, but cut it short for various reasons. Their day isn't completely ruined, though, and there's food and some (clumsy) flirting when they get back._

 _You'd think I would be churning out chapter after chapter with this whole quarantine thing going on, but the opposite seems to be true! I was getting more done when I had more to do, if that makes any sense. XD Hope you enjoy!_

"Chapter 38: Prejudice and Pizza"

May 11th

Tooth Fairy opened his bedroom window to assess the weather after showering and getting dressed for the day. A gentle spring breeze caressed his face and did its best to mess up his hair, but his hair cream held things in place nicely. His face was already sensitive and smooth from his usual close shave, and the soft wind felt cool and refreshing as it blew the light scent of his aftershave behind him. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose. The wind carried with it the smells he knew so well; freshly cut grass, dandelions, and the strong but pleasant scent of hydrangeas from a distant neighbor's garden.

April had been chilly, and they had gotten a lot of rain. It was mainly for that reason that he and Alpha hadn't gone on many dates outdoors up until recently, and he supposed that being confined indoors for so long had had a negative effect on his mood. Now that he thought about it, he _always_ seemed to get a little blue when there were long stretches of rainy days, so maybe it made sense. He would have to ask Neil about it...

Tooth Fairy honestly wasn't sure if his therapy sessions with Neil were responsible for his improved mental state, or if it was because he was finally able to get out with Alpha for some much-needed Vitamin D. And when it came right down to it, he didn't care. He was just glad that the crisis had passed.

He heard the low buzzing of a bee as it went about its business in the yellow, white, and purple wildflowers that dotted his back yard, and the songbirds were in rare form as they called for mates and warned off their rivals.

 _What a_ _ **beautiful**_ _day! Alpha should see this. Maybe we'll run into Connor, and I can introduce them._

Tooth Fairy still had yet to reconnect with Connor, and he was reluctant to contact Siobhán at all. It wasn't lost on him that Siobhán was a dark-eyed brunette beauty, and so was Alpha. Would Alpha feel threatened when she eventually saw her? There was no reason for that, really; he was head over heels for Alpha, and his feelings for Siobhán had cooled centuries ago. Or maybe 'doused with ice water' would be more accurate. Embarrassment and humiliation were hideously powerful things.

He went into his kitchen and peeled a banana for a light breakfast, and he leaned against his counter and chewed as he called Alpha.

"Hey, luv. I was just thinkin' about ye!"

He swallowed his mouthful and smiled. "Oh yeah? I thought I felt my ears burning. What's up?"

"Isn't that _my_ line?"

"Oh, sorry. Please, go on."

Alpha laughed softly, which caused his heart to flutter in his chest and his wings to answer them. "What's up, Roy?"

"Hm? Oh! I was just wondering if you wanted to come by, and we could go for a walk through my town. The weather's _gorgeous._ " He almost added 'like you', but decided it would be too corny. "It'd be a pity if you missed it."

The line was silent for a few seconds before she answered him. "Aye, I'd like that, if you're sure it'd be all right."

He shrugged. "Why wouldn't it be? Most of them voted 'yes', and I think the mayor likes ya. My feelings for _him_ notwithstanding."

"All right, let's do it."

"Great! See you here at three?"

"Absolutely. Love ye!"

"Love ya too."

He should have known better.

* * *

Two Fairy women, distant neighbors of the Tooth Fairy, were taking advantage of the fine weather to dry their laundry on the line. There was no fence for them to gossip over, but they still managed the gossiping part just fine.

"Lanie _still_ hasn't had her baby yet?" Margot shook her head. "Poor girl. I saw her last week, and she was out to _here._ "

Alice nodded. "She's lucky, though. She won't have to go through a second summer pregnant. And Connor's been an absolute _gem._ My husband reports that he's been by the restaurant every night for the last several months to get take-out for her. Lately, she's been craving curry."

"Ooh. The kid probably kicks up a _storm_ after that." She shook out a sky-blue blouse and reached into her apron pocket for some clothespins. "I wonder if the baby will have its father's wings...poor thing."

"Well, Lanie's happy, so I guess that's the important thing. He made out good, though." Alice stooped to find the mate to a sock she was holding (they hid, of course), and when she straightened up again she promptly dropped them and gasped. "Margot, look who's out...and look who's _with_ him!"

Margot pushed the clothesline down a few inches with a forefinger to peek over the top of it, then jogged over to Alice so that they could whisper. "Do you think the rumors are true? About the coin?"

Alice snuck another look, and while the Werewolf and the Tooth Fairy weren't holding hands, their prolonged eye contact and the way each smiled at what the other had to say gave them away. They still gave off a 'couples' vibe, and the Fairy women ducked back behind the bedsheet. "Maybe. If it's true, I'm a little surprised they'd be this brazen! You'd think they'd have the decency not to court in _public!_ "

"Well...he _is_ a man. A very _lonely_ man." Margot gave her eyebrows a significant lift, and Alice swatted her arm. "Do you think they're... _you_ know...that they couldn't wait for the 'wedding bells'?"

"Don't be crude. I'm _sure_ they're not..."

"She just nudged him, and he blushed! Look!"

Alice looked, just in time to see him nudge her back and whisper something that caused her to laugh. Then Alice paled when they looked in her direction and waved. _They know we're talking about them!_

Alice and Margot forced polite smiles and waved back, and Margot called out, "Lovely day, isn't it?"

"Sure is!" Tooth Fairy called back. "I don't think you've met Alpha yet, have you?"

"No, we haven't." Alice agreed, her smile growing strained. _Please, don't bring her over here..._

"Would you like to come over and say hello? She won't bite." Tooth Fairy quipped, then immediately wished he'd phrased it differently.

All three women laughed a bit uneasily, and Alpha added, "It's a beautiful place. It must be a sight to see in the autumn when the leaves turn. Under a harvest moon."

"It is," Margot agreed, picking up her half-full basket. "Well, it was nice to meet you. Goodbye!" And with that, she disappeared into her home.

Alice shot her friend a dirty look that said 'traitor', picked up her own basket, and fled without a word or a backwards glance.

Tooth Fairy internally cringed.

Alpha raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "Somethin' I said?"

"No...you were fine." Tooth Fairy nearly took her hand, but stopped himself. "It was probably me with the bite comment. Sorry, I didn't think that one through."

"Or it might have been me with the 'harvest moon' comment..." Alpha sighed, and they resumed their walk.

Tooth Fairy shook his head as they walked the narrow footpath. "You shouldn't have to censor yourself like that. Besides, the harvest moon _is_ a sight to see here. Especially from the top of your own tree house, if you happen to live in one."

"Aye. I've seen many a harvest moon over the years, but I've never really been able to just sit there and take it all in."

"You and me both," Tooth Fairy smiled sadly. "I see the night sky all the time, but it'd be nice to be able to sit and stargaze once in a while. Once, when I was a kid, I remember lying out on the grass during one of the big meteor showers. I don't remember which one it was...might have been the Leonids. Anyway, it was _spectacular._ No light pollution like now, and there were so _many_ of 'em, all streaking across the sky at the same time. I couldn't believe it."

"Wow, that's rare!"

"Uh-huh. Heh...I remember, Pumpkin curled up on my chest, and...wow, I forgot all about this. Her head was tucked up under my chin, so I was watching the meteor shower from between a cat's ears!" He sighed, a little bit wistful. "I'll never be able to do _that_ again. I've seen plenty of meteor showers since then, some of them every bit as good as that first one, but I can't stop to watch because of my job."

"Mm-hmm...Ye got a raw deal in that regard, to be sure. To travel all over the world, though...To see the sights you've seen. The view must be something most of us can only dream about. You're probably _used_ to it by now."

"Heh...I guess I am at that." Tooth Fairy conceded the point, then lowered his voice. "So, what exactly were those two saying about us?"

Alpha tucked her hands in her pockets and said casually, "Wondering if we do or if we don't."

"Do or don't what?"

Alpha gave him a 'look' and raised an eyebrow, and he got it.

" _Ohhh._ " Tooth Fairy shook his head in disgust. "Why would they be so curious? Robert asked me something like that a while ago, but...that's just Robert, right?"

She snickered. "Speculating about who's doing what with whom is a common pastime among nosy parkers. Like Jack and Cupid, for example. Oh! That reminds me! We owe them a prank!"

Tooth Fairy rubbed his chin, hardly noticing that he was beginning to get a five o'clock shadow two hours early. "I'd suggest pretending to break up, but I don't think I could make it believable."

"Ah, ye need motivation. I'll just steal your dental floss." Alpha winked to show she was only joking.

"Nah. We'll do something else. I don't wanna pretend to do something that would _kill_ me if it was real..."

"Well, you brought it up. Hmm...what to do, what to do..." She nudged him.

Tooth Fairy gave his wings a single flick. "Hey, Alpha?"

"Aye?"

"Are ya still mad at 'em? 'Cause _I_ cooled off a while ago."

Alpha stooped to pick up a chunk of mica, brushing the dirt from its crevices. "No...I'm not mad. Pearl's always telling me I'm impulsive. I guess she was right."

"No, you're... _spontaneous._ " He smiled. "And I still like the idea of playing a joke on those two. Just...maybe not out of revenge."

"Do tell?"

"Next time you have a meeting at The Hollow, I have some ideas," Tooth Fairy's smile turned mischievous. "But you'll have to wait and see."

"Ohhh, no you don't. Ye can't just leave me with that!"

"I just did."

"All right, then, I won't tell ye _my_ ideas."

"Okay."

" _Oh!_ " Alpha folded her arms, but a moment later they were both laughing at their own absurdity.

They were still laughing when they were approached by a group of Fairy children; two girls and three boys. One of the boys, a tallish lad with bright green wings, seemed to have been chosen as their leader. One of the other boys nudged him from behind and whispered, "Go on... _ask_ her."

Alpha clasped her hands behind her back and gave what she hoped was a non-threatening smile. "Ask me what?"

"Uhhh..." The boy glanced at his friends, who clearly didn't intend to be of any help. He nervously licked his lips and looked back up at Alpha. "Does it hurt when you 'wolf out'?"

"When I transform, ye mean?" She cocked her head, and they nodded. "Aye, it used to. Then Mother Nature gave me some magic when I joined the Legendary Council, and it doesn't hurt anymore." This wasn't strictly true; it had been Brinna's magic that had done that, and she only had Tooth Fairy's word to go on that it had been out of his sister's gratitude. But the kids didn't need to know that.

The boy fluttered his wings excitedly. "Cool! Can you transform _without_ a full moon?"

"Yes," Alpha shrugged. "Why d'ye ask?"

One of the girls piped up. "Can you transform _now?_ "

 _I should have seen that coming._ "Oh...No, I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want to frighten anybody."

" _We're_ not scared!" The girl put her fists on her hips and buzzed her wings. "We can just fly away, but _you_ can't fly at all."

"Haha! Aye, ye're right about that. And maybe someday I'll transform for ye, but not today."

The boy with the green wings snorted and turned away. "This is boring. Come on, you guys."

The group fluttered away, and the smallest girl turned in mid-air and waved. "Bye, Mrs. Werewolf Lady! Bye, Mr. Tooth Fairy!"

Alpha and Tooth Fairy chuckled at that and waved back.

"Kids..." Tooth Fairy shook his head, then jumped when a middle-aged Fairy woman flew straight at them and got in Alpha's face without actually landing.

" _You._ "

Alpha reared her head back to avoid getting poked in the eye by a long-nailed finger while the woman hovered horizontally in front of her. If Alpha had known what 'planking' was, that was the word that would have come to mind. As it was, she was startled into near speechlessness. "Oh! W-what-"

"The mayor says you can come and go as you please, but you keep your tainted self _away_ from our children! Do you hear me?"

Alpha could smell the woman's sour breath, and she stoically ignored the tiny flecks of spittle that sprinkled her; a physical manifestation of the verbal venom being spat at her. "Ah'm no' _deif,_ missus..."

Tooth Fairy got over his shock and got between them, using his body to force the woman back, but keeping his arms straight at his sides. " _That's enough,_ Eleanor."

The woman fluttered backwards, her hand flying to her chest as if clutching an imaginary string of pearls. "How _dare_ you put your hands on me!"

"I never even touched you, and the kids approached _us._ " Tooth Fairy said curtly.

Eleanor's finger found a new target, and she poked him in the chest. "Now, you listen to _me,_ sir! You might have a job that entitles you to certain privileges, but you need to watch how you speak to me! _My husband_ is on the Fairy Council, and-"

"Tell him I'll be happy to discuss the matter with him. We're just out for a walk, and the kids were curious. They've never _seen_ a Werewolf before, and Alpha probably didn't want to be rude and ignore them. Is that right, Alpha?" He asked her without taking his eyes of Eleanor.

Alpha put a hand on Tooth Fairy's arm, signaling to him without saying so that she didn't want things to escalate any further. "Aye...And I apologize for the misunderstandin'. I'll keep my distance from the children, Ma'am. Ye have my word on it."

Eleanor eyed Alpha's hand on Tooth Fairy's arm for the brief moment it was there, and curled her lip. She turned and left without another word, and Tooth Fairy hung his head in shame.

"I'm _so sorry,_ Alpha..." he whispered.

Alpha raised an eyebrow. "Were _you_ the one who was rude to me?"

"No...but..."

"Butts are what ye sit on, luv. I'm _fine._ Really."

Tooth Fairy smiled, but didn't hug or kiss her, or even reach for her hand; he could feel pairs and pairs of eyes trained squarely on _them,_ and he now understood what a frog under glass must feel like. He could only imagine what was going through Alpha's head! "Well...Hey, how about we drop by Alfonso's Pizza and get a slice?"

"All right, sounds good." Alpha tucked her hands into her pockets again and walked at his side. She heard someone nearby whisper, 'Girly-Wings got himself a little puppy-dog', and there was a soft, tittering laugh in response. She was glad that he didn't have her sensitive ears. She put on a cheerful expression, but her appetite was quite gone.

* * *

Tooth Fairy couldn't believe his ears when Alfonso, the restaurant's owner, refused to let the bespectacled girl at the register serve them. He shook his head, trying to keep from looking as hurt as he felt. "I don't understand."

"We don't serve outsiders. _Or_ their friends," Alfonso adjusted his paper diner hat and folded his arms above his considerable beer belly. "I will not have her here, and you are barred from this restaurant for as long as you choose to associate with her."

"Are you _kidding me?_ " Tooth Fairy thought back on all the food he had ordered from this place, not because it was especially _good,_ but because he was frequently tired after work and it was convenient. About a third of the time he ordered from there, they got something wrong with his order, but he knew better than to anger the people who handled his food. Still, he had been a _loyal customer,_ and Alpha hadn't done a darn thing!

"No, I'm serious. I voted 'no', and I won't have her in here."

Alpha lightly tugged on Tooth Fairy's arm when she saw his hands begin to glow. "C'mon, let's just go. I'm not all that hungry anyway."

"Neither am I," Tooth Fairy pulled his arm out of Alpha's grasp and pressed his palms on the counter as he leaned forward to speak in a low voice. "You want us to leave? Okay. We'll go. But this town would be _exposed_ now if it wasn't for her. I would've been dead, and this place would be _crawling_ with humans! I honestly thought you were _better_ than this. I guess I was wrong."

"I want. You. To _leave._ " Alfonso ground out through clenched teeth.

"We're going. But I think you should know something first."

"And what's that?"

Tooth Fairy leaned closer, "Your calzones are greasy enough to de-rust the Tin Man, I can _tell_ that you use canned mushrooms instead of fresh ones, and there's _way_ too much garlic in your pizza sauce." He took a pack of sugar-free breath mints out of his vest pocket and shook it a bit so that its contents rattled. " _Have_ one." He plunked it down on the counter as Alfonso spluttered angrily. "Let's go, Alpha."

" _Get out!_ " Alfonso roared after them, but they were already on their way out the door.

They were silent on their journey back to his house, neither of them quite knowing what to say for a while. As Tooth Fairy's home came into view, Alpha finally said, "I think I see what ye were gettin' at. About Fairies and 'outsiders'."

"And this is them on a _good_ day..." Tooth Fairy wished he could have a 'do-over' for the day. Most of the Fairies they had seen hadn't bothered them at all, but the few that had shown themselves to be unapologetic bigots left him with a bad taste in his mouth. "And I was right about you being more able to take it than I am to see it...You handled it a heck of a lot better than _I_ did. Gods...Sometimes I'm _ashamed_ to be a Fairy..."

Alpha looked at him seriously. "Don't ever say tha'."

"Why not? It's true. You've never heard of 'guilt by association'?"

"Ye _can't_ define your own worth by the actions of your people. From what I saw, the ones who acted that way were a vocal minority. And if what I heard from the mayor is true, they have every reason to want me to stay away."

"That doesn't make it _right!_ " Tooth Fairy realized he had begun to raise his voice when a few curious neighbors glanced in their direction. He cleared his throat and murmured, "They're treating you like you're some kinda monster, and you're _not._ "

"Actually, I am." Alpha dug her hands into her pockets for what seemed the fiftieth time that day. "Werewolves _deserve_ their reputation. We're just _people,_ and people don't always do good. I _try_ to, but...you remember what I told you? About the man who attacked me on the road?"

Tooth Fairy didn't like to think about that day. It was the day they'd first confessed their love for each other, which should have been a happy occasion, but it was also the day that Alpha had revealed her past to him, and when she had been forced to relive the loss of her family. It was embarrassing to remember it, because her breakdown that day was nothing compared to his own, and she had so much more to fall apart about! At least, he _thought_ so. She had lost her _children._ He had only lost a sibling. In any case, when that man had attacked her on the road, was she supposed to just stand there and take it? "That was self-defense, Alpha. You were justified."

She bit her lip, not wanting to have a private conversation in public, given how closely they were being watched. "I'll answer tha' when we get inside. Or maybe we should part ways here, and I'll use a Ring to get in that way?"

Tooth Fairy shook his head and slipped his hand into hers. " _Let_ 'em see. I don't care anymore. If they're that determined to be nosy, they'll be paying attention anyway, and they'll sense your magic."

"All right." Alpha gripped his hand, hoping that this wouldn't cause problems for him somewhere down the line.

They continued on in silence, and Tooth Fairy opened the door and held it open for her before following her inside. "What weren't you saying before? Something about 'answering later'?"

"Aye...about the man." Alpha sat down on his couch, and he joined her. "I was in human form, and when I finally fought back...It was hardly a fair fight, to be honest. I was stronger than he was. I _could_ have just knocked him out and fled, but...I got _angry._ I...I wanted to get back to my family, and I wanted to teach him a lesson, make sure he never thought of doing something like that again. Even though it was an accident, I hit him too hard. I _really_ have to watch my temper, Roy. I could easily hurt someone without meaning to. But just think of what a Werewolf _without_ a conscience could do."

Tooth Fairy remembered how easily she had been able to restrain him when he was hitting his counter, and he shuddered. But this was _Alpha._ He _knew_ her. "Who _wouldn't_ be angry? And what you found when you got home...if he was with them, he was a _part_ of that."

"Are ye working up to 'he deserved it'?" Alpha looked him in the eye, and he closed his mouth. She smiled sadly and shook her head. "Don't make excuses for me. What I did was _wrong._ It was _monstrous._ So, I _am_ a monster."

"You _said_ it was an accident. Was that a lie? Did you kill him on purpose?" Tooth Fairy already knew the answer.

"No...but I still killed him. And for a long time, I was _glad_ I killed him. I was angry at everything and everyone." Alpha ran a hand through her wild hair. "Anyway...I haven't seen another Werewolf since before I went to live in The Hollow, but a couple of them were some _really_ nasty characters."

He could see the lingering guilt in her eyes, and he didn't know what to say to make it disappear. He listened as she went on.

"So...between that and ergot, our reputation is well earned."

"Ergot? You mean that stuff that sometimes grows on rye?"

"Aye," she nodded, "It affects us the same way it affects humans. Some say it's similar to LSD, but I can't make that comparison. Among other things, it can cause hallucinations and aggressive behavior. Times being what they were, most people didn't know any better, or had to eat what they were able to get, so some of that ended up in the bread we ate. I never hallucinated, but I got really sick a couple times, and Alexander got extremely paranoid. And one day, he thought the crows were demons, come to kill us. Can ye imagine a Werewolf, transformed, under the influence of that stuff?"

"Uh-uh. Not sure I _want_ to."

"I only saw it happen once...but witnessing a 'rabid' Werewolf is a bit like sittin' through 'The Godfather III'. Once is more than enough. I have to say, crow doesn't taste half bad when it's cooked and ye haven't eaten in a while. Not much meat, though..."

He nodded, sitting back and putting his arm around her. "It sounds like you're trying to convince me that you deserve to be treated the way _they_ treated _you._ "

"No..." Alpha snuggled in close, draping an arm over his tummy. "Just sayin' I understand it. There's xenophobia, and then there's fear of a real potential threat. They don't _know_ me. They just know what I am. I'm just sorry I got you banned from the pizza place."

At that, Tooth Fairy snorted. "If _you're_ not welcome there, I wouldn't eat another crumb if they begged me. We can make our _own_ pizza."

"I'd like to see _that,_ you tossin' the pizza dough." She giggled.

"What, you think I can't do it?"

"I didn't _say_ that."

"It was implied."

"Was not."

"Was too."

She gleefully took his hand and made as if to bite it.

"Hey, hey, hey!" He yanked his hand out of her grip, laughing incredulously. "Didn't I just get done telling those two out there that you don't bite?"

Alpha grinned and kissed his cheek. "Can _I_ help it if ye look good enough to eat?"

 _She's trying to distract me. She doesn't want me to feel bad about today._ "Were you _really_ gonna bite me?"

"Not unless ye _want_ me to." She winked.

He blushed and slid away from her, removing his arm, but still grinning. "Don't do that. I'm trying to behave myself, and you don't make it easy."

"All right," Alpha shrugged, taking off her shoes and sitting cross-legged. _Once again, he doesn't know I gave him the green light...but I guess now isn't the time._ "So...what _do_ you want to do?"

"I dunno..." He looked at the dark TV, but they had been doing an awful lot of TV watching. And she'd never gotten her pizza. Wait...pizza! "Oh! Yes, I do. Why _don't_ we make pizza? I have all the stuff, and there's plenty of time."

"Sounds like a plan!"

* * *

"Not bad, you jar your own tomato sauce!" Alpha smiled when Tooth Fairy came up from the basement with a small pint jar in his hand.

"Nah...I wish I had that kinda time and energy!" Tooth Fairy unscrewed the lid and took a bottle opener from a drawer to break the seal. They had made quite a mess with the flour, and he had a flour handprint on his cheek, but he had almost forgotten about how horrible his people had been to her. "No, one of my neighbors has a huge garden every year, and he does a lot of canning in the summer. This right here's his famous tomato sauce with basil! Well...it's not _famous,_ but it's really good."

"It _smells_ good. Um...luv, go look at yourself in a mirror." She put a hand over her mouth to hide a smile.

"Hm?" He set down the opened jar and went upstairs.

Alpha chortled when she heard a loud ' _Ha!_ ' from upstairs, and she saw that the flour handprint was gone when he came back.

"Just for that..." Tooth Fairy dipped his finger in the sauce and went to smear some on her cheek, but she grabbed his wrist and shook her head no. He tried to reverse the motion, but she held fast. "What?"

Alpha was _this_ close to bringing his finger to her mouth, but she remembered how he had moved away from her when she'd made a suggestive remark, and instead she got a napkin and de-sauced his finger that way. "Don't want to make more of a mess, do ye?"

Tooth Fairy was no idiot. It only took him a second to realize what she had almost done, and why she had stopped. His heart began to race...and he remembered the coin. It meant a lot to him that she respected him enough to stop herself, especially when it was unlikely at this point that he would have stopped _her._ He licked his lips and croaked out, "Thanks..."

Just then, the oven beeped to let them know it was pre-heated, and they got back to work. He spooned the sauce onto the crust and evened it out, and she sprinkled the cheese and arranged the pepperoni slices.

When they sat side-by-side at his table with their pizza, Tooth Fairy said, "I'd ask how it is compared to Alfonso's, but..."

"The company here is better," Alpha took a bite, and the pizza they had made was every bit as good as it smelled. " _Mm._ And I'd pick _this_ over his any day o' the week."

"Good?"

"Aye," Alpha gestured at his plate. "Try it."

He did. "Mm. It _is_ good!"

"Why do ye sound so surprised?"

"Well...I've never made pizza before." He admitted.

"Me neither. We make a pretty good team!"

Tooth Fairy smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear, then brushed her cheek with his thumb. "Aye."

Alpha took his hand and lightly kissed the pad of his thumb. "Copycat."

He gulped. _Hamina hamina hamina..._

"Yer pizza's gettin' cold, luv."

"Oh!" Tooth Fairy picked up his slice again. And as he ate, he began to think.

He had _known_ how his people felt about outsiders. It had given him a false sense of security when most of the town voted in favor of letting Alpha visit, and today had been his awakening. The ones who didn't want her there _really_ didn't want her there! Really, things could have gone a lot worse.

But he couldn't help but remember how Alpha's people had been when he'd first started visiting The Hollow. There was wariness and there were whispers, but he had expected that. What he _hadn't_ expected was for her people to be so willing to give him a chance. He wished he could have provided the same experience for Alpha! And he wished he'd controlled his temper at the pizzeria.

"You all right?"

"Mm-hmm. Just thinking. What should we do tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow... _might_ be a bit of a problem." Alpha squinted and made a so-so gesture with her hand. "Sarah wants to call a meeting, says it's important. But not urgent, otherwise she would've assembled us then and there."

"Oh? Is everything okay?" He wiped his mouth and took a sip from his can of club soda.

"Aye," Alpha wiped her own mouth and reached for her can of Sprite; he didn't drink it himself, but he bought some because he knew _she_ liked it.

"You sure?"

She put the can down and nodded. "Some of the children have been talking about seeing a Fairy in The Hollow. Then one of the parents thought they caught a glimpse, and said it wasn't you."

Tooth Fairy's eyes widened. "Is that possible? That one of us found their way in?"

"I don't see _how._ The only way up to the surface was sealed centuries ago, and I would have known if someone snuck in. All the same..." Alpha picked up her crust and prepared to bite into it. "We're not taking any chances, and...well, never mind."

"No, what?"

The shadow of a memory floated just at the edge of Alpha's conscious mind, and when she focused on it all she could get was a snippet of a dream she'd had long ago. _'Ugh! How can you_ _ **drink**_ _that stuff? It smells like paint thinner!'_

"It's stupid. I...When I was first brought to The Hollow, I spent most of my time drunk. _You_ know why."

He knew, and he didn't judge her for it. "Mm-hmm..."

"Well...I had a dream I met this boy. He didn't seem to have wings, but at the time I didn't know you could make them invisible, or that you even existed. And when the mayor was there with his two guards...for a second, I thought I saw him again, only he _had_ wings that time. Then I got distracted, and when I looked back he was gone. I didn't think much of it...I thought maybe what I _thought_ were wings were part of the clothes he seemed to be hiding in, and he could have just run off when my back was turned...right?"

Tooth Fairy didn't know what to make of that, but he didn't think that Alpha was prone to seeing things that weren't there. "Could be..." But what if this hypothetical boy had gotten in before the entrance was sealed, and had been hiding all this time? No...He would have had to interact with them to get food and clothes, wouldn't he? And what person could live in total isolation for centuries and not go mad? _But if this kid is interacting with the kids in The Hollow...he hasn't been alone. Not really._

"Roy?"

"Hm?"

"What is it?"

He helped himself to another slice of pizza. "Just a lot of speculation. But would you tell me how the meeting goes? I'm _really_ curious now. Unless it would be a breach of protocol, or something."

Alpha took her second slice and smiled at him. "If it were anyone else, it probably would be. You're a special case."

"Aww, she called me _special._ " He grinned and gave her a peck on the cheek.

Alpha kissed him back. "Eat your pizza."


End file.
